Mourinho Jokes About Man City Scandal, Says Verdict Will Take Decades
The former Manchester United manager humorously suggested he'll be in his 80s by the time Manchester City's financial cheating case reaches a final conclusion.
Jose Mourinho has quipped that he would prefer to "have a laugh" about the charges against Manchester City rather than engage in a serious discussion of the club's alleged financial wrongdoing. Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, the 63-year-old manager speculated on the lengthy process of legal proceedings.
"I think that we will reach a conclusion but, being in my sixties, I will have to be lucky enough still to be here when the final verdict arrives," Mourinho said. "Now a ruling will come, then an appeal… I’ll be 80."
Mourinho, who previously managed Manchester United, managed the side that finished second behind Manchester City in the 2017-18 Premier League season. He has previously joked that he might receive a winner's medal if City are ultimately stripped of their titles.
Manchester City lodged an appeal last Thursday against the verdict that found the club had artificially inflated commercial revenues by more than £830 million between 2009 and 2018. The Premier League had brought charges against the club more than three years prior, with a ten-week hearing concluding in late 2024.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters stated that the club "systemically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade" through the use of "sham" contracts. In response to the verdict, current Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca expressed calmness and faith in the club.
"Personally, I'm very calm to be honest," Maresca said. "The club has been quite clear. We trust completely the club. We understand the noise but the focus for us is just what we can control and we can control just the football side."
Maresca added that the squad's focus remains on their on-field performance, with their next match scheduled against Liverpool at Anfield. He noted that the players are not overly concerned by external matters, emphasizing their concentration on football.
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland urged fans to remain positive and "enjoy the ride" despite the ruling, which involved more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League rules. "We have to stick together," Haaland stated. "We have to stay with each other and we have to stay positive no matter what happens in life - we always have to have a smile."
The club is set to play its first home match at the Etihad Stadium since the verdict next Wednesday. Manager Pep Guardiola, who left the club at the end of last season, has publicly expressed solidarity with his former employers, stating, "We will get through this together. I love you all."
Guardiola is expected to be in attendance, joined by the City board including chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, for the club's first home European fixture since his departure.