Pochettino: No Man City Punishment Can Repair Damage — SkimNews
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- Mauricio Pochettino said it is 'very difficult' to determine an appropriate punishment for Manchester City after they were found guilty of 114 of 115 Premier League financial fair play charges spanning 2009–2018.
- Manchester City claimed three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and three League Cups during the period covered by the 114 guilty verdicts, including the 2011-12 crown sealed by Sergio Aguero's stoppage-time goal against QPR — moments Pochettino said now have their 'legitimacy cast into doubt.'
- Pochettino called the era one of 'deceit' where 'sporting justice did not exist,' and questioned inconsistent Premier League enforcement compared to Nottingham Forest and Everton, which received point deductions or fines for their own rule breaches.
- Tottenham under Pochettino went 18 months without making a signing while building their new stadium, finished second to Chelsea (also found in breach) in 2016-17 and third behind City in 2017-18, before reaching the 2019 Champions League final.
Why it matters: Pochettino — whose Tottenham finished second to Chelsea (also now found in breach) and third behind City during the period under a self-funded stadium transfer embargo — is the most prominent voice yet to call the era irredeemable. With three Premier League titles and a 2019 Champions League final run now shadowed by his 'deceit' framing, any eventual sanction must address not just competitive penalties but the retroactive legitimacy of the league's most iconic moments.
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