Rodri backs Manchester City after guilty verdict on 114 financial rule breaches

Manchester City were found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules on Friday by an independent panel, with the club cleared on just one of the original 115 charges they had faced over a three-year investigation. The verdict represents one of the most significant disciplinary outcomes in English football history.

Rodri, who played for City between 2019 and 2026, was among the first high-profile figures to respond publicly. “I believe in the justice system and I believe in the innocence of the club,” the Spain midfielder said, making clear he does not accept that his former employers broke the rules.

Asked whether his confidence stemmed from the club’s own repeated declarations of innocence, Rodri pushed back. “No, they always tell us the confidence they have on the innocence,” he said. “When you look into someone’s eyes and talking that way… And we had the example in 2020 and the process was the same, and in the end, nothing happened.”

Rodri also pointed to the demeanour of those inside the club throughout the lengthy process as a reason for his belief. “We were very calm in this way. You never saw the team nervous about these kinds of things.”

City had been charged with 115 alleged breaches covering areas including financial fair play, player and manager payments, and a failure to cooperate with Premier League investigators. The charges related to a period spanning from 2009 to 2018, and the club consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout the proceedings.

The panel’s findings now move the case to a sentencing phase, where the scale of any sporting or financial punishment will be determined. The outcome could have profound implications for City’s standing in the Premier League table across multiple past seasons, though no sanctions have yet been confirmed.