Manchester City was found guilty of the majority of 115 financial breaches by an independent Premier League commission, with a damning report published nine days ago alleging the club used "sham" contracts to disguise over £830 million in secret funding. The club has appealed the verdict and maintains its innocence.
Head coach Enzo Maresca told reporters on Thursday that the squad’s mood remained “fantastic” as players returned to training, with international duty having kept most away when the ruling was announced. “The players are excited for the next two games,” Maresca said, adding they were focused on football and “don’t care too much about the noise.” He described himself as “calm” and said the team trusts the club “completely” .
Striker Erling Haaland echoed the sentiment, urging unity. “We have to stick together, stay positive, look ahead, and try to win football games,” he told Sky Sports. Haaland added that the fans “will have a good time” ahead of Sunday’s match at Liverpool, City’s first since the verdict .
The independent commission’s findings cover breaches spanning nine years, including a failure to cooperate with the investigation. If the appeal fails, City could face relegation, points deductions, or fines .
