Keane and Wright demand City are stripped of titles after guilty verdict on 114 charges

Manchester City were found guilty of 114 out of 115 Premier League financial rule breaches by an independent panel on Friday, triggering widespread condemnation across the footballing world — including from two of the game’s most prominent pundits.

Speaking during ITV’s coverage of the Nations League match between England and Spain at Wembley, Roy Keane and Ian Wright delivered blunt verdicts on the ruling. Keane said the decision was long overdue and left little room for sympathy: “It’s obviously been going on a long time now. It was the choice of the club, they chose to cheat, and whatever they have won over the last few years, they deserve to be punished. They were cheating. Been found guilty of it, they have to take their medicine now.”

Wright echoed the sentiment, focusing on the cost to rival clubs and players who competed against City during the period in question. “They should be punished for it,” he said. “When you look at all of the teams that were trying to chase them, they were doing it right. Roy’s right, they cheated to get it done, and people have missed out on that. Players have missed out on unbelievable opportunities for themselves. I’m glad that we finally got there.”

Wright also questioned what the scandal means for the legacy of other clubs during City’s dominant era, specifically referencing Liverpool and former manager Jurgen Klopp. “What have we taken from Liverpool’s legacy, Klopp and that team? What could they have experienced?” he said.

The verdict follows a three-year investigation by Premier League officials, who brought 115 charges against City. The club have consistently maintained their innocence throughout the process and are expected to challenge the ruling. City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued an open letter to supporters on Saturday reaffirming that position.

The scale of the fallout was underlined when Rodri, the City midfielder who won the Ballon d’Or this year, devoted a significant portion of his Spain Nations League press conference to addressing questions about his former club’s alleged misconduct — a moment both Keane and Wright directly referenced in their remarks.

The question of what sanctions City will ultimately face — whether points deductions, fines, or title stripping — remains to be determined, with the case now entering what is expected to be a lengthy appeals process.