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MANCHESTER. — Manchester City have “already been condemned” over alleged financial rule breaches, says manager Pep Guardiola.
The English Premier League charged City with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules on Monday.
A two-year ban from European competitions for breaching Uefa’s financial fair play regulations was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in 2020.
“The club proved they were completely innocent,” said Guardiola.
“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 English Premier League are accusing us without us having the ability to defend.
“I am fully convinced we will be innocent.”
The English Premier League has referred City to an independent commission over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, during which time the club won three of their six Premier League titles.
It also accused City of not co-operating since the investigation started in December 2018.
The commission can impose punishments ranging from a fine and points deduction to expulsion from the English Premier League.
City, who were bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, said they were “surprised” by the charges and their innocence is supported by a “body of irrefutable evidence”.
Guardiola reiterated that confidence in a defiant news conference yesterday, during which he also said he believes the charges have been driven by rival clubs.
When asked if he believed that was the case, he said: “Of course – it is the Premier League. I don’t know why. You have to ask the CEOs.
“They have opened a precedent right now, what they have done to us.
“Be careful, be careful in the future as there’s a lot of clubs that have been accused like we have without being innocent, who knows what will happen in the future?
“They believe that we didn’t behave properly, we can accept that, but let us defend when we believe we did it properly.”
Asked if he believed the charges were driven by their English Premier League rivals, Guardiola said: “Go to the chairman, CEOs, Daniel Levy, ask them.
“These 19 Premier League have set a precedent. What they [rival PL clubs] have done to us, be careful with that.
“Be careful in the future. Many clubs can make suggestions and there are a lot of clubs that can be accused, like we have been accused.”
City chiefs plan to fight the accusations and could go all the way to the High Court or to the Supreme Court if necessary.
And just as in their victory over Uefa after the Champions League ban three years ago, City will unleash an army of lawyers to defeat the Prem legal team and put the charges to bed for good. Guardiola is confident City will be able to defend themselves against the charges, and prevail even if they suffer expulsion. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter