All the reaction from Brighton and Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom and across the Premier League
Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said clubs have to abide by Premier League rules “even if you don’t agree with them” in response to the charges against Manchester City.
News broke on Friday that City had been found guilty of the majority of 115 charges laid against them, although chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is “confident” they will prove their innocence.
The most severe punishment available to the Premier League is expulsion, an outcome that would require the support of at least 15 of the competition’s 20 clubs at a general meeting.
Brighton, who are currently third in the Premier League, face two matches against Manchester City in quick succession later next month.
The Seagulls are away at the Etihad Stadium on October 28 and face them again three days at the Etihad on October 31 in the Premier League.
The charges against Manchester City has thrown the Premier League into chaos.
Brighton chairman Bloom, speaking to the BBC's Johnny Cantor on the Albion Unlimited podcast, said: "We've got two games coming up against Man City at the Etihad, really looking forward to those two games, but I cannot comment on those other matters. “
Bloom then added: “I think if there are rules and regulations in place, it's really important, even if you really don't agree with them, that you abide by those rules. Absolutely.”
Financial doping
Hull City owner Acun Ilicali was far more scathing in his view and claimed City’s alleged offences were “no different to doping and winning an Olympic medal”.
The first Premier League owner to speak out publicly, he told 1904 Club podcast: “I don’t say they are guilty or not because they are saying they are innocent, and the Premier League says they are not innocent.
“If they are not innocent, I think it is no different to doping and winning an Olympic medal.
“This is financial doping, at the end of the day. Bringing the top four or five players with huge money, breaking the rules. From that side, it doesn’t look very positive.”
Impossible to turn back time
Meanwhile, former Tottenham and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino expressed sadness that the Premier League “lived through a period of deception” if City breached the rules.
Pochettino told the Guardian, through an interpreter: “At the end of the day, we went through something where sporting fairness didn’t exist, so how do you repair everything that was damaged because of that?
“If it’s true… we’ve lived through a period of deception.”
Pochettino said there was no punishment which could make up for the “damage” which had been caused.
“Whatever punishment, it’s impossible to turn back time,” he added.
“It’s done a lot of damage. At the end of the day many clubs followed the rules and some didn’t.”