Mancini shields Manchester City as Italy gear up for Turkey clash

Roberto Mancini, the 61‑year‑old Italian now in his second spell as Italy manager, addressed the media ahead of the Nations League clash with Turkey, insisting Manchester City are not guilty of the 115 alleged breaches and that the disputed secondary contract is not his concern.

The long‑running case

An independent commission delivered its verdict last week after a five‑year Premier League investigation that began in February 2023. The club faces 115 alleged breaches spanning a nine‑year period from 2009 to 2018, including accusations of inaccurate financial information, disguised owner funding as commercial sponsorship, breaches of the Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules and UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations, and a failure to cooperate with the league’s inquiry.

Mancini’s tenure and the alleged extra payment

Appointed in December 2009, Mancini spent four years in the Etihad Stadium dugout, guiding Manchester City to their first Premier League title in 2012. The investigation alleges an off‑the‑books payment structure that supplemented his official salary of £1.45 million per season with a secondary contract at Al Jazira, paying an additional £1.7 million (€2.03 million) annually for a minimum of four days of consultancy work each year.

Club’s stance and possible sanctions

Manchester City maintains its innocence and is expected to launch an appeal once formal sanctions are determined. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued an open letter to supporters, reaffirming the club’s confidence and intent to prove its innocence, while warning that “there are many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club”.

The Premier League argued that the alleged structure was used to conceal full manager remuneration, artificially lower the club’s official operating costs and circumvent financial regulations.

Although the independent commission found the club guilty on 114 counts, Manchester City has not been penalised yet, with potential outcomes ranging from substantial financial fines and points deductions to possible expulsion from the top flight.

For Mancini, whose managerial legacy is tied to City’s breakthrough era, the ongoing battle is one he prefers to view from afar, yet the case is poised to send shockwaves through world football.