Rodri expresses confidence Manchester City will defeat Premier League case

Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has said he expects the club to be cleared in the Premier League’s legal case involving 114 alleged breaches, while the league’s ruling and any potential sanctions remain unpublished. Reports on Friday said City had been found guilty of the charges. The source material said, however, that no ruling had been released and that no punishment had been decided.

Speculation has included a severe points deduction, relegation or the removal of previous titles. The allegations concern claims that City failed to provide accurate information about payments to players and coaches. The club is also accused of breaching financial sustainability regulations.

City have denied wrongdoing, according to Rodri’s account of the club’s position. Speaking before Spain’s Nations League match against England, Rodri said City had faced a similar process in 2020, when UEFA found the club guilty of financial fair play violations and imposed a two-year ban from European competition. The ban was later overturned on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“We went through an identical process in 2020,” Rodri said. He added that the club had reassured players it would be cleared and would face no penalties because, in the club’s view, nothing improper had occurred. Rodri said he trusted those assurances and believed City would again be cleared.

He scored the winning goal in the club’s 2023 Champions League final victory and won 12 major trophies during his time there. The midfielder also said individual awards should be determined by performances rather than public campaigning. After Spain’s success at Euro 2024, he won that year’s Ballon d’Or and remains among the candidates for the award again.

He said Spain were seeking another title as they began their Nations League campaign.