Emery warns 'many other clubs' inflated budgets as Man City appeal guilty verdict

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has claimed that “many other clubs” have inflated their budgets, becoming the first Premier League manager to speak publicly after Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of 115 financial misconduct charges brought against them.

The Premier League commission found City guilty of operating a “disguised funding scheme” between 2009 and 2018 that concealed secret funding of more than £830 million. Central to the verdict were sponsorship arrangements the commission described as “sham” deals used to hide the true extent of the club’s liabilities. City have launched an appeal, arguing that the funding in question came from the Abu Dhabi government rather than owners Abu Dhabi United Group — a private investment company belonging to UAE vice-president Sheikh Mansour — and that the sponsorship deals were therefore legitimate.

Speaking to Spanish outlet Diario de Sevilla, Emery did not single out City but suggested the problem was wider than one club. “It’s an issue that was already known,” he said. “Because we all have our restrictions, we have to sell players to comply with Financial Fair Play, we have to figure out how to draw up contracts with new people. Financial Fair Play seeks a financial balance so that what you generate is spent and there isn’t inflation. Yes, many other clubs have inflated their budgets, and now it’s coming to light, and naturally there’s a decline. That’s something that the courts and those responsible will have to decide.”

Emery also expressed sympathy for what City had produced on the pitch under Pep Guardiola. “I feel sorry because of how that team played,” he added. “With Guardiola, there were times when they were unmatched.”

The comments carry added weight given Aston Villa’s own recent regulatory history. In June, UEFA fined the club £19.4 million for a “significant breach” of its squad-cost rule for 2025. Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle were also fined for separate breaches of UEFA’s financial regulations, which operate differently from the Premier League’s own framework.

Financial Fair Play rules are designed to ensure clubs spend broadly in line with their revenues. By allegedly inflating sponsorship income, City were able to report higher earnings and therefore justify greater expenditure — a mechanism the commission concluded was used to circumvent the system over nearly a decade.

City have consistently denied wrongdoing, stating they possess “irrefutable evidence” in their favour. With an appeal now lodged, the case is set to continue for a significant period, leaving the question of any sporting or financial punishment unresolved. Rival Premier League clubs are reportedly pushing for severe sanctions given the scale and duration of the breaches found.