Mancini says Premier League verdict on Manchester City won’t affect him
Italy coach Roberto Mancini said the Premier League’s guilty verdict against Manchester City does not affect him, describing the case as the club’s problem rather than his own. The verdict, issued on 29 September, found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 financial regulations it was accused of breaching, including the use of sham commercial contracts to inflate revenue. Manchester City announced it will appeal the decision, with chief executive Ferran Soriano and the club’s legal team arguing that the disputed sponsorship funds came from the Abu Dhabi government.
Former managers Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola, as well as former player Micah Richards, expressed disappointment and called the ruling a taint on the Premier League era. Senior football officials and the FA warned of integrity risks and urged a swift final ruling, while Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he would not intervene.