Virgil van Dijk has said he will “definitely share his comments” on Manchester City's guilty verdict once the appeal process has concluded. The Liverpool defender spoke after City were found guilty of breaching 114 financial rules by an independent commission, with punishments including possible relegation or the stripping of titles still expected.
Van Dijk waits for appeal to end
City continue to protest their innocence and have lodged an appeal, which will extend a saga that began years ago. The breaches span from 2009 to 2018, a period in which Liverpool finished second once, in 2014. The players City were able to sign while inflating their revenue formed part of the squad that beat Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to the title in 2019 and 2022.
Those teams included Van Dijk, who could have a larger trophy collection had it not been for the Manchester club. Asked about the verdict, the Dutch defender said: “The only thing I can say, because it’s ongoing, is that I have really enjoyed the rivalry. But that is on the pitch, what has happened off the pitch is a totally different story. Because it’s still ongoing, it’s not a good idea for me to comment on this. When it’s properly settled I will definitely share my comments on it but for now let’s wait and see.”
Liverpool rivalry and recent defeat
Van Dijk was part of the Liverpool side that collected 97 points in 2019 and 92 points in 2022, yet finished second both times. They were also eliminated from domestic cups by Pep Guardiola's City. There was anger at Anfield on Sunday as City played for the first time since the verdict, with Liverpool supporters displaying banners highlighting that Enzo Maresca's side had cheated the system for years.
City then produced a second-half display to win 3-0, staying top of the Premier League with six wins from six. Van Dijk said: “Second half the red card changed the game, especially when you concede quickly afterwards. We end up with 10 men is the fact and we concede quickly after and it becomes a difficult game against them again.”
