Mancini: Manchester City Not Guilty, Dual Contract Not My Problem

Italy's national team coach, Roberto Mancini, found himself addressing the controversy surrounding one of his former clubs, Manchester City, during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Turkey game. On Friday, news broke that the 'Citizens' were found guilty on 114 of 115 charges related to various financial irregularities between 2009 and 2018. This period includes the four years Mancini managed Manchester City. Among the accusations are payments made to the Italian outside official accounting records, as well as a second contract that allegedly more than doubled his remuneration. It's claimed Mancini signed for £1.45 million annually with the club when he took over as City manager in 2009, but also received £1.75 million per year for four days of work as a consultant for Abu Dhabi-based Al Jazira, a club also owned by Sheikh Mansour. These contracts were reportedly structured to circumvent UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations and Premier League rules. Manchester City denies this accusation, along with all others for which the club has been found guilty. Mancini, however, disputes the club's guilt and asserts that the 'dual contract' issue is not his concern.

“I don't believe Manchester City has been found guilty. Quite the opposite. This isn't an issue that concerns me, but it's also nothing new. It resurfaces periodically, over the last 4-5 years. Manchester City is not guilty, and the matter of the dual contract isn't mine, it's theirs, if such a thing even exists,” Mancini stated.