Spain captain and former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has backed his former club's innocence following reports that the independent commission found City guilty on 114 of their alleged 115 Premier League financial rule breaches.
Could Ayyoub Bouaddi's future at Manchester City be in doubt in the event of a guilty verdict?
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The verdict in a case that has been ongoing for over three-and-a-half years emerged on Friday afternoon, with The Athletic reporting that Manchester City had been found guilty on 114 of the 115 charges levied against them for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial fair play rules between 2009 and 2018.
The finding represents the most significant legal verdict in the history of English football, arriving nearly two years after hearings before the independent commission concluded in late 2024.
Rodri left Manchester City for Barcelona this summer after seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium, during which he won four Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, and became the first player in the history of the club to win the Ballon d'Or (in 2024).
The Spain international was a central figure of Pep Guardiola's trophy-laden era managing Manchester City and was among the players who, throughout their time at the club, were kept informed of the club's legal position and their confidence in contesting the allegations.
Manchester City have been found guilty of nearly every charge of breaches of the Premier League's financial fair play rules, according to a new report.cityxtra.co.ukMan City Verdict on 115 Charges Revealed as Premier League Hold Victory Belief
Manchester City have been found guilty of nearly every charge of breaches of the Premier League's financial fair play rules, according to a new report.
Until the Moment They Are Proven Wrong, We Will Believe the Club: Rodri
Speaking to reporters in a press conference in London on Friday ahead of Spain's UEFA Nations League fixture against England at Wembley on Saturday evening, Rodri was asked about the verdict.
"I believe in the justice system and I believe in the innocence of the club. What we did, they cannot take it out of us. It's something that is not paid by money," the Spain captain said in a defiant message over Manchester City's innocence.
"It's paid with effort, with partnership, with being shoulder to shoulder every day. I can only tell you that everything was deserved and I'm glad I could live one of the best eras of English football."
On the club's communication with players throughout the period of the 115 charges, the four-time Premier League winner added: "They always tell us the confidence they have of innocence. When you look into someone's eyes and talk to them that way, we had the example of 2020, the process was the same and at the end nothing happened.
"We were very calm. You never saw a team nervous about these things. Nowadays, I'm not saying it's normal, but many teams or some go through these situations and it's part of football and everyone has to follow rules and that's great.
"But they always press their confidence that they never did something wrong and we believe that. And until the moment they're proven wrong, we will believe the club. I've been there, I know how they work and cooperate."
What is the Wider Context of Reports on the Verdict?
Manchester City were handed a two-year ban from European competition by UEFA in February 2020 over alleged financial fair play breaches, only to have that ban overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport five months later.
That outcome has since been cited internally at City as evidence of the club's ability to challenge adverse findings through the appeals process, and Rodri's comments suggest it remained a reference point in conversations between the club and the playing squad throughout the years of the Premier League investigation.
Throughout the period covered by the 115 charges, City strenuously denied all allegations, with hearings understood to have been conducted over a six-week window between September and December 2024.
The club has declined to comment in detail on proceedings, stating only that the process remains confidential and ongoing. No sanctions have yet been determined, with the punishment phase representing a separate stage of proceedings from the guilty finding itself.
Rodri will line up for Spain against England at Wembley on Saturday evening in the UEFA Nations League - but the 30-year-old will surely be keeping one eye on developments around a verdict into the allegations against his former club, despite him not being on social media.