Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges of breaching Premier League financial rules, with players past and present speaking out on the verdict. The charges were brought forward in February 2023, but no punishment has yet been decided and an official statement from the Premier League has not been released.
Club response to the verdict
A City spokesperson told MEN Sport: "The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such, Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023."
The spokesperson added: "The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence." In 2023, City said they were 'surprised' by the charges and welcomed the review by an independent commission.
Players react on social media
Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United defender, was among the first to respond. He tweeted: "Another Premier League medal to be added to the cabinet." He followed up with tweets suggesting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho should receive medals, and shared an AI image of himself with seven Premier League medals. He concluded: "Seriously, though, Ryan Giggs should have 14 Premier League titles. Come on Premier League."
David de Gea, now at Fiorentina, posted: "So... Let's talk. How many Premier League titles have I won then?" Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique also demanded honours, posting on X: "It's already here!!! Thank you Premier League and send me the medal soon too," accompanied by an AI image of him kissing the Premier League title.
Sympathy and calls for punishment
Andy Robertson, now at Tottenham, took a more lenient view in his pre-match press conference with Scotland: "I think you can hear the shock in my voice. The case has obviously been going on." He added: "I don’t think when it comes to these things that players are ever to blame."
Rodri expressed sympathy for City in his pre-match press conference ahead of Spain's clash with England: "I believe in the justice system and I believe in the innocence of the club." He added: "We were very calm in this way. You never saw the team nervous about these kinds of things."
However, former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent believes City should face severe consequences: "When you look at what happened to Juventus, when you look at what happened to Rangers – what did they go down, like four divisions," he said. "They are going to have to get relegated. They should be relegated to League Two, and a transfer ban for like five years, six years. It’s going to have to be. The Championship is not enough."
