Manchester City remain calm and united despite an independent commission finding the club guilty of 114 breaches of financial rules, including “sham” contracts and disguised funding exceeding £900 million between 2009 and 2018. Assistant coach Enzo Maresca said the players and staff continue to trust the club leadership fully and are focused solely on football.
The ruling carries heavy potential consequences for City, with possible expulsion from the Premier League or a points deduction that could result in relegation. The club has launched an appeal against the verdict, describing their evidence as “irrefutable.” Maresca echoed this confidence, telling the club website on Thursday that he remains “very calm” and is backing the hierarchy.
“The club has been quite clear. We trust completely the club,” Maresca said. “We understand the noise but the focus for us is just what we can control and we can control just the football side.”
He praised the unity within the club, citing the alignment from the owner and CEO down to the players and fans. “I said many times the reason why this organisation in the last 15 years was top was because from the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, the manager, players, fans, they are all on the same page. And this is fantastic.”
Maresca, who recently spoke with the squad after their return from international duty, reported an optimistic mood. Manchester City currently lead the Premier League after winning every game so far this season. Their next challenge is a high-profile clash at Liverpool on Sunday.
“The feeling is fantastic, to be honest,” Maresca said. “The players are excited for the next two games. But especially they are excited because in this moment we are top of the league. The players are just focused on that. They know what we can control is the football side – they are not worried at all about different things.”
He added that the players are aware of the controversy but are not distracted by it. “They know their profession and they know that the noise is there, but they don’t care too much about the noise. They are just focused in this moment on how we can bear Liverpool and how, together with the fans, we can try to win in Anfield.”
The independent commission’s findings centre on financial conduct spanning nearly a decade, accusing City of breaching Premier League rules designed to ensure transparency and fairness. The club’s appeal process is ongoing, with no final resolution yet.
As the legal and regulatory proceedings continue, Manchester City’s coaching staff and players appear determined to compartmentalise the off-field issues and maintain their performance on the pitch.
According to Yahoo Sports.
