Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has expressed belief in the club’s innocence regarding financial wrongdoing, citing a previous successful legal appeal in 2020 as the foundation for the squad’s trust ahead of Spain’s UEFA Nations League fixture against England at Wembley.
The Precedent of 2020 and the 115 Charges
Manchester City face an unprecedented regulatory landscape after being found guilty of breaking the majority of the 115 financial rules accused by the Premier League, though the club are set to appeal the verdict. Speaking from international duty, the 30-year-old midfielder—who transferred to Barcelona in August—addressed the ongoing legal battle with direct reference to past disputes.
City previously overturned a two-year ban from European competitions handed down by UEFA when the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared them of separate financial fair play charges in 2020.
“They always express the confidence that they never did something wrong and we believe in that,”
Rodri told reporters at his pre-match news conference.
“Until the moment they are proved wrong, we will believe the club. They always tell us the confidence they have on the innocence.”
Drawing Parallels From Past Legal Battles
Analyzing the trajectory of the club’s administrative challenges, the Spanish international emphasized that the current accusations mirror the structure of previous investigations, even if the underlying charges differ.
“We had the example of 2020 that the process was the same and at the end nothing happened,”
Rodri explained.
“We have faced something similar, we had a similar judicial process. Different accusation but similar process. There as well in the first instance we were found guilty, but we believed in the club and the innocence that the club maintained and in the end we ended up acquitted. So, I believe in the justice system, and I believe in the innocence of the club.”
Defending the Legacy of an Era
During the period covered by the Premier League case, Manchester City secured eight major trophies, including three Premier League titles, three League Cups, one Community Shield, and one FA Cup.
Rodri firmly dismissed any suggestion that the silverware earned on the pitch could be diminished by boardroom verdicts.
“What we did, they cannot take out of us,”
he added.
“It’s something that is not paid by money. It’s paid with effort, with the damage, with, you know, being shoulder to shoulder every day. I can tell you that everything was deserved, and I’m glad that I could live one of the best eras of English football in here.”
Comparative Judicial Outcomes
| Regulatory Body | Year | Initial Verdict | Final Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA | 2020 | Two-year ban / FFP guilty finding | Cleared by Court of Arbitration for Sport |
| Premier League | Ongoing | Guilty of majority of 115 rules | Appeal pending |
