Pochettino questions financial oversight after reported Manchester City verdict

Mauricio Pochettino has questioned how financial rules were enforced during his time in English football following reports of a guilty verdict against Manchester City. Speaking to the Guardian on Monday, the United States head coach said the case raised concerns about unequal treatment of clubs.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_l52IF6H0Q

Pochettino pointed to his experience at Tottenham, where he said stadium construction and financial restrictions had limited recruitment while the team competed near the top of the Premier League. He contrasted those constraints with the alleged conduct at City, asking why the controls appeared strict for some clubs but not others.

The former Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea manager also questioned how any punishment could address the consequences for past competitions. Rather than proposing a specific sanction against City, he stressed the difficulty of repairing sporting damage after the event and expressed sadness about the reported findings.

BBC Sport reported that City had been found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges brought against them, with news of the findings emerging on Friday. The allegations included inflated sponsorship income from connected businesses and payments made outside the club's declared accounts. City have maintained their position that they are innocent and intend to contest the outcome.

According to BBC Sport, chief executive Ferran Soriano addressed fellow club executives at a European Football Clubs board meeting in Copenhagen, telling them the process was far from finished. His stance echoed chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak's message to supporters on Saturday. Al Mubarak said the club remained confident it would establish its innocence but was constrained by confidentiality requirements from explaining its case publicly.

No sanctions have been announced. BBC Sport said City would appeal and that other Premier League clubs were seeking legal advice about potential compensation. Possible penalties reported by the broadcaster include a points deduction, a substantial fine or expulsion from the division; none is a confirmed outcome. The Premier League declined to comment, while City said significant parts of the confidential process remained incomplete.