Ex-Manchester City star Samir Nasri has revealed his messages to Etihad club chiefs regarding potential punishments as Liverpool waits for the outcome to emerge following the verdict
Former Manchester City players Kolo Toure and Samir Nasri both won the Premier League title with the club in 2012
Former Manchester City players Kolo Toure and Samir Nasri both won the Premier League title with the club in 2012(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Former Manchester City star Samir Nasri says he has no concerns about potentially losing titles after his old side was found guilty of 114 charges leveled at it by the Premier League.
The Etihad side has appealed the decision, but Liverpool and the other impacted clubs are awaiting news on what the punishment will be if the process comes to an end with Manchester City in the situation that it is now.
Nothing has been ruled out, with speculation on possible sanctions including points deductions or even expulsion from the top flight. Last Sunday, Manchester City won 3-0 at Liverpool in its first game since the guilty verdict.
"I’m not worried," Nasri told Canal Plus. "I sent a message to the president [Khaldoon Al Mubarak] last week specifically to offer support, to see if everything was okay...
"They’re pretty confident. They're confident about how it's all going to wrap up. I’ve seen here and there former players talking. On the pitch, we won those titles. They can take them away from us, but we know we earned them."
Liverpool center-back Virgil van Dijk was asked about the Manchester City verdict, and he promised to speak more once the process has completely come to a conclusion.
Enzo Maresca praised his Manchester City players following their Premier League win over Liverpool
Enzo Maresca praised his Manchester City players following their Premier League win over Liverpool(Image: Photo by Tom Flathers/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
"The only thing I can say, because it's ongoing, is that I have really enjoyed the rivalry," Van Dijk said. "But that is on the pitch, what has happened off the pitch is a totally different story.
"Because it's still ongoing, it's not a good idea for me to comment on this. When it's properly settled, I will definitely share my comments on it, but for now, let's wait and see."
Reds boss Andoni Iraola, meanwhile, expressed his desire for the process to reach a conclusion as fast as possible, with the Liverpool game in some ways a farce.
"I think it should be [concluded quickly]," Iraola said. "There should be a moment when something comes from this, but now is not that moment.
"Nobody knows what is going to happen, and I think this uncertainty is no good for anyone. I don't know what's going to happen. No one knows what's going to happen.
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"I think we have to trust the people who are in charge of those things. They have spent a lot of time (looking at the issue), no? So they are ones that the football world has put their trust in, and they decide to make their decisions.
"The best thing for us is that we are focusing on the football and on the game, Liverpool vs Man City. But we cannot control everything that happens, and that is why there are mechanisms to control these kinds of things.
"We understand, and I understand everything that goes above football. Every fan will have their own opinion and attitude toward that, but it's not something that I can control."