Roy Keane and Ian Wright have said Manchester City should be severely punished for 'cheating' after an independent panel found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League financial rule breaches. The verdict, delivered on Friday evening, followed a three-year investigation by English top flight officials.
While City are expected to appeal the decision, having continually pleaded their innocence, the news sparked widespread reaction from players, pundits and fans. Rodri spent much of his Nations League press conference for Spain answering questions about his former club's alleged wrongdoing.
Pundits deliver their verdict
Speaking during ITV's coverage of the Nations League clash between England and Spain at Wembley, alongside Mark Pougatch and Juan Mata, Keane said: "Well it's about time [the decision was made]. It's obviously been going on a long time now and I certainly would disagree with Rodri's messages there.
"It was the choice of the club, they chose to cheat, and whatever they have won over the last few years, they deserve to be punished. Where we start and finish with that, obviously it's difficult.
"But they were cheating. Been found guilty of it, they have to take their medicine now. And it was kind of a shock really to be found guilty of...114 of the charges they were found guilty of? Big news it was."
Reputation of English football questioned
When asked where the debacle leaves the reputation of English football, Wright added: "Not very good, not very good. I'm going to be totally honest, Pougs.
"Going back to Rodri, he's talking about what he's done. He went shoulder to shoulder with the guys, and, of course, you can't take that away from them, they experienced that.
"But they should take that away from them, they should be punished for it. They may have been able to experience those memories and all of those great times together, but then, when you look at all of the teams that were trying to chase them, they were doing it right.
"It's not right, Pougs. What have we taken from Liverpool's legacy, [Jurgen] Klopp and that team? What could they have experienced?
"Roy's right, they cheated to get it done, and people have missed out on that. Players have missed out on unbelievable opportunities for themselves. I'm glad that we finally got there."
City chairman maintains innocence
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak released an open letter to fans on Saturday, again pleading innocence despite the verdict. It read: "I have been part of this Club for 18 years.
"I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul. This Club matters to me, and you have shown and told me – time and time again - how much Manchester City matters to you. This is why I am writing to you today.
"Following Friday’s media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues. So have I. Here’s what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began.
"There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position. But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies.
"I ask you to please carefully read the statement below, which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023 (also below). Every word matters and holds true. While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed.
"We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity.
"We have some exciting moments to look forward to after this international break. We travel to Anfield in a fortnight, and then host Paris St Germain in the Champions League back at Etihad Stadium - moments that give us an opportunity to celebrate the strength of the Manchester City family. Thank you, as always, for your constant support."
