In the long and winding story of sport, money, and institutional trust, former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has stepped forward to defend his old club against findings that they breached the majority of 115 Premier League financial rules over more than a decade. Speaking ahead of an international fixture, Rodri drew on the precedent of City's 2020 UEFA case — where an initial guilty verdict was overturned on appeal — as the foundation of his faith in the club's innocence. The case now moves toward appeal, carrying with it questions not only about trophies and finances, but about how justic
Rodri backs Man City's innocence claim ahead of appeal
What we did, they cannot take out of us
Mark
So Rodri is essentially saying City will be vindicated on appeal, based on what happened in 2020?
Mimi
That's his argument, yes. He's drawing a direct parallel—similar process, initially found guilty, ultimately acquitted. He's saying the legal system worked then, so it should work now.
Luke
But those are two completely different cases. The 2020 case was UEFA and CAS. This is the Premier League and an independent commission. Different bodies, different rules, different evidence. The parallel isn't as clean as Rodri suggests.
Mark
Fair point. So we don't actually know if the appeal will succeed?
Mimi
No. Rodri is expressing faith, not predicting an outcome. He's saying City maintains its innocence and he believes them.
Luke
And that's important to note—he's speaking as a player who trusted the club, not as someone with access to the actual financial records or the commission's reasoning. His confidence is personal, not evidentiary.
Mark
What about the titles? Can they actually be stripped?
Mimi
That's one of the possible punishments being discussed, but Rodri is saying emotionally they can't be taken away—the achievement itself is real regardless of what happens legally.
Luke
Which is true as a human statement, but it sidesteps the actual question of whether the Premier League has the power to do it. They might. We don't know yet.
Mark
And Burnham's comment about studying the report—is that him defending City?
Mimi
Not defending them, exactly. He's asking people to be careful before drawing conclusions. He's saying it's complicated.
Luke
Which is diplomatic language. He's not saying City is innocent or guilty. He's saying the report is complex and people should read it carefully before judging. That's a reasonable position, but it also doesn't tell us much.
The Pulse
- Manchester City has been found guilty of breaching the majority of 115 financial rules spanning over a decade, one of the most significant verdicts in English football history.
- The club flatly denies the charges and has announced its intention to appeal, setting the stage for a prolonged legal battle that could reshape the Premier League's recent past.
- Rodri, now at Barcelona, invoked City's 2020 UEFA case — where an initial guilty finding was reversed — as a reason to withhold judgment and trust the appeals process.
- Speculation about stripped titles looms over eight trophies won during the investigation period, though Rodri insisted that what was earned through effort cannot be taken away by any ruling.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged the public to read the independent commission's report carefully before drawing conclusions, signaling that the full picture remains contested and complex.
In the long and winding story of sport, money, and institutional trust, former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has stepped forward to defend his old club against findings that they breached the majority of 115 Premier League financial rules over more than a decade. Speaking ahead of an international fixture, Rodri drew on the precedent of City's 2020 UEFA case — where an initial guilty verdict was overturned on appeal — as the foundation of his faith in the club's innocence. The case now moves toward appeal, carrying with it questions not only about trophies and finances, but about how justice is measured in the modern game.
Rodri, who departed Manchester City for Barcelona this summer, stood before reporters ahead of Spain's Nations League match against England and offered a firm defense of his former club. He said he believed City were innocent and would hold that belief unless a court proved otherwise — a confidence rooted, in part, in history.
The Premier League's independent commission recently found that City had breached the majority of 115 financial rules across more than a decade. The club denies the charges and intends to appeal. Rodri pointed to the 2020 UEFA case as his guiding precedent: City were initially found guilty then too, only to be acquitted after appeal. "We believed in the club and the innocence that the club maintained," he said, "and in the end we ended up acquitted."
The midfielder was equally direct about the trophies at stake. During the period under investigation, City won eight honours, including three Premier League titles. Asked about the possibility of titles being stripped, Rodri was dismissive. "What we did, they cannot take out of us," he said. "It's paid with effort, with the damage, with being shoulder to shoulder every day."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham added a note of caution to the public conversation, urging people to study the independent commission's report carefully before reaching conclusions. He acknowledged the process had been long and contested, and warned against the simplicity of snap judgments. The appeal now lies ahead, and with it, the slow work of determining what the record books will ultimately say.
Rodri, who left Manchester City for Barcelona this summer, stood before reporters ahead of Spain's Nations League fixture against England and offered an unequivocal defense of his former club. The midfielder said he believed City were innocent of financial wrongdoing and would maintain that belief unless a court proved otherwise. His confidence rests partly on history: in 2020, City faced similar accusations through UEFA and were initially found guilty before ultimately being acquitted after appeal.
The Premier League's independent commission recently concluded that City had breached the majority of 115 financial rules spanning more than a decade. The club denies the charges and has signaled its intention to appeal. Rodri cited the 2020 precedent as reason to trust the club's assertion of innocence. "We had the example of 2020 that the process was the same and at the end nothing happened," he explained. "There as well in the first instance we were found guilty, but we believed in the club and the innocence that the club maintained and in the end we ended up acquitted."
The 30-year-old midfielder emphasized that City's leadership had consistently expressed confidence in their own innocence throughout the process. "They always express the confidence that they never did something wrong and we believe in that," Rodri said. "Until the moment they are proved wrong, we will believe the club." He framed his trust in the justice system itself, suggesting that the legal process would ultimately vindicate the club as it had before.
During the period covered by the Premier League investigation, City won eight trophies: three Premier League titles, three League Cups, one FA Cup, and one Community Shield. Speculation has circulated about whether any of these titles might be stripped as part of any eventual punishment. Rodri dismissed that possibility outright. "What we did, they cannot take out of us," he said. "It's something that is not paid by money. It's paid with effort, with the damage, with, you know, being shoulder to shoulder every day."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged caution in interpreting the commission's findings. Speaking to ITV Granada, Burnham said people should study the independent report "in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions." He acknowledged that the process between City and the Premier League had been lengthy and contested, suggesting that the situation was more complex than headlines might suggest. "I don't think it's as simple as jumping to conclusions," Burnham said. "I think we would all need to study the independent commission's report in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions."
Notable Quotes
Until the moment they are proved wrong, we will believe the club. They always tell us the confidence they have on the innocence.— Rodri
I think we would all need to study the independent commission's report in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions.— Prime Minister Andy Burnham
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