Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini insists his old club’s Premier League financial charges are 'not my concern'. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA Wire
Roberto Mancini appeared to admit having “a double contract” while managing Manchester City but insists the club are “not guilty” after being found to have breached Premier League financials rules.
Mancini led City to their first Premier League title in 2012 and into the Champions League during a four-year spell in Manchester. Currently in charge of the Italian national team, he described the scandal surrounding the club as “not a problem that concerns me”.
One element of the case against City is an investigation into payment details for players and managers between 2009 and 2018. The German magazine Der Spiegel obtained evidence that Mancini doubled his base salary of £1.45m by advising a club in Abu Dhabi.
“It’s not a problem that concerns me,” the 61-year-old said in Italy’s press conference before their Nations League match with Turkey on Monday evening. “Anyhow, it’s not something new, because every four or five years this comes up. Manchester City is not guilty and the fact of having a double contract isn’t my problem but theirs, probably.”
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Mancini lifted the FA Cup as well as the Premier League during his time at City, the first trophies of sheikh Mansour’s ownership of the club, laying the foundations for future on-field success. He left in 2013 after defeat to Wigan in the FA Cup final.
It was reported on Friday that City have been found guilty of the vast majority of more than a hundred charges related to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, throwing English football into turmoil. The club continue to deny any wrongdoing, with chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, restated that stance in a letter to fans on Saturday. “The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” he said. – Guardian