Mauricio Pochettino: Man City verdict leaves football facing 'period of deceit'

An independent commission has reportedly found Manchester City guilty of 114 of the 115 financial-rule charges brought against the club, covering the period from 2009 to 2018. The sanctions have not yet been decided, and City are expected to appeal. The club continues to deny wrongdoing.

Pochettino, who managed Tottenham and Chelsea before becoming United States head coach, believes the scale of the verdict makes it difficult to determine a punishment that could fully address what happened.

"It's very difficult when out of 115 charges you are found guilty of 114 to know what the punishment should be to make it fair," Pochettino said.

He also compared City's situation with other Premier League clubs that have received points deductions or fines for financial breaches.

"It's a very difficult situation that causes astonishment given the magnitude of the verdict," he added. "It's also fair to ask where the controls were for the rules to be broken like that. That's what catches my attention the most."

The charges relate to alleged financial breaches over nine seasons, including claims involving financial reporting, player and manager payments, UEFA financial regulations, Premier League profitability rules and cooperation with the investigation.

Pochettino believes the consequences could extend beyond any punishment handed to City because of the impact on how previous achievements are viewed.

"It's a very sad situation because what was already achieved and celebrated maybe wasn't real, and what wasn't so good could have been better," he said.

"We have lived through a period where sporting justice did not exist. If the charges are proven, it's very difficult to repair what happened. I hope that at least it serves to ensure equality exists in the future."

Pochettino went further when describing the potential impact on the Premier League's credibility.

"If it's true that they broke 114 rules, we have lived through a period of deceit," he said. "No type of punishment will make it possible to repair what was done, and the Premier League's controls are severely damaged."

He also recalled Tottenham's battles with Chelsea during his time at the club, arguing that teams competing within the rules could feel particularly frustrated if rivals gained an advantage by breaking them.

"I said at the time, regarding Chelsea's situation when we fought for the title with them while I was at Tottenham, that they were better because they got more points, but by breaking rules," Pochettino said. "How do you repair that?"

City have maintained that the Premier League process is still ongoing and have indicated that they will continue to fight the findings through the appeal process. The club's position remains that it has not committed the alleged wrongdoing.

The verdict has also opened the possibility of compensation claims from rival clubs, while the eventual sanctions could include a fine, points deduction, suspension or expulsion from the Premier League. No final punishment has yet been announced. 

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