With the help of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Manchester Citywereable to overturn a European competition suspension for two years back in 2020.Even though the Premier League reversed their ban, the Sky Blues are again in the middle of another financial storm due to new alleged ruleviolations.
For financial misdeeds allegedly committed during the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, the EPL has accused the club of more than 100separate offenses.The allegations surfaced after the Premier League conducted an inquiry against the Emirates outfit for four years. Meanwhile, City are standing by their claims that they did nothing illegal, and an impartial tribunal will hear their case.
Due to the seriousness of the allegations, it is quite unlikely that this matter will be resolved quickly and instead will drag on for a considerable amount of time. If Pep Guardiola’s side arefound guilty of financial wrongdoings, they might face potential consequences such as financial fines,a points penalty, or perhaps relegation from the English top division.
What didPep Guardiola say of allegations against Manchester City?
As it stands, it seems as if the English side feelsingled out unjustly, and Pep Guardiola has pointed the finger at their Premier League competitors for imposing financial costs on his team.After being silent for over a month as the leagueinvestigated allegations of financial impropriety by his clubover many years, the Spaniardstepped out in fierce defense of his team.
He insisted that the club’s ‘damage’to theirimage was already done, even if they were found not guilty.While addressing the media on Friday, Guardiola responded defiantly to the allegations and then shifted the focus to nine of his English rivals who tried to have his team eliminated from the UEFA Champions League three years ago.
“While we wait for UEFA to make a sentence against us, nine teams – Burnley, Wolves, Leicester, Newcastle, Spurs, Arsenal, [Manchester] United, Liverpool, Chelsea – out of the Champions League when they wanted that position. It is said there are not enemies or friends, just interests. They want to put it out to take that position we won on the pitch. They say, ‘You have to be out of the Champions League. You have to go to League One or League Two or maybe the Conference?’
“What’s happened since Monday is the same as what happened with UEFA. We have already been condemned. You have to understand that 19 teams in the Premier League are accusing us without us having the ability to defend. I am fully convinced we will be innocent“, the Spanish manager said in a press conference.
