Manchester City have launched an appeal after being found guilty of Premier League financial breaches, with Unai Emery having his say on matters
Unai Emery reacts
Unai Emery has spoken about City's scandal(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA, Getty Images)
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has delivered a startling response to the Manchester City scandal by suggesting that "many other clubs" have "inflated their budgets."
City have lodged an appeal following the revelation that an independent commission's verdict found them guilty of 114 out of 115 charges levelled against them. The club were discovered to have operated a "disguised funding scheme" spanning 2009 to 2018, concealing secret funding exceeding £830million.
They're anticipated to argue that crucial sponsorship agreements weren't "sham" arrangements designed to "disguise the true extent of certain club liabilities", but were instead financed by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than the club's ownership.
The explosive revelation continues to reverberate, with rival Premier League sides reportedly pushing for severe sanctions against City, considering the scale of their financial violations. Villa manager Emery has now emerged as the first Premier League boss to publicly address City's situation, offering a concerning perspective.
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When questioned by Diario de Sevilla about the potential ramifications for the Premier League, Emery replied: "It's an issue that was already known. Because we all have our restrictions, we have to sell players to comply with Financial Fair Play, we have to figure out how to draw up contracts with new people.
"Financial Fair Play seeks a financial balance so that what you generate is spent and there isn't inflation. Yes, many other clubs have inflated their budgets, and now it's coming to light, and naturally there's a decline.
"That's something that the courts and those responsible will have to decide. I feel sorry because how that team played. With [Pep] Guardiola, there were times when they were unmatched."
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In June, UEFA hit Aston Villa with a £19.4m fine following a "significant breach" of its squad-cost regulations for 2025.
Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United also faced penalties for violating UEFA's regulations, which operate separately from the Premier League's framework.
Financial Fair Play regulations aim to prevent clubs from overspending and ensure their outgoings align with their income. Through artificially inflating sponsorship agreements, City managed to circumvent these controls.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak looks
Khaldoon Al Mubarak claims the club are innocent(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
City maintain the disputed funds originated from the Abu Dhabi government rather than their owners, Abu Dhabi United Group. ADUG operates as a private investment vehicle owned by Sheikh Mansour, who serves as United Arab Emirates vice-president and deputy prime minister.
The club has consistently refuted any misconduct, insisting they possess 'irrefutable evidence', while their appeal guarantees the proceedings will drag on considerably longer.
However, they may be compelled to confront extremely severe repercussions, as the commission possesses the authority to levy substantial fines, deduct points, or even enforce relegation.
There have also been demands for the titles City won during the nine-year period in question to be stripped, though such an outcome appears improbable.