Pochettino Says Manchester City Case Shows a “Period of Deception”

Posted : 29 September 2026

Mauricio Pochettino has expressed deep concern over the reported findings against Manchester City, saying the case has raised serious questions about sporting fairness in the Premier League. An independent commission is reported to have upheld 114 of the 115 charges brought against City, although sanctions have not yet been announced and the club is expected to appeal.

The allegations cover financial matters dating from 2009 to 2018, while City were also accused of failing to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation between 2018 and 2023. Manchester City have consistently denied wrongdoing and have maintained that the legal process is still ongoing.

Pochettino, who managed Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea during the period under investigation, questioned whether any eventual punishment could fully address the impact of the case. The current United States head coach said clubs that complied with the rules may have been disadvantaged by those that did not.

He also questioned the effectiveness of the Premier League's financial controls, asking why alleged breaches could have continued for such a long period. Pochettino recalled his time at Tottenham, when the club went 18 months without signing a player while dealing with the financial demands of constructing the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Argentine coach said the contrast between Tottenham's financial restrictions and the allegations surrounding City left him questioning whether the rules had been applied consistently across the league. He argued that the situation had created uncertainty over whether achievements from the period accurately reflected sporting competition under the same conditions.

Pochettino also pointed to the difficulty of repairing any damage caused by the alleged breaches. He said that whether the eventual sanction involved a financial penalty or a points deduction, it would not be possible to reverse the events or fully recreate the competitions that were played during the period in question.

The comments come shortly after Pochettino argued that Tottenham should have been awarded the 2016-17 Premier League title if Chelsea's subsequent rule breaches were taken into account. Chelsea won the title that season, with Pochettino's Tottenham finishing second.

Manchester City's case is not yet concluded. The club is expected to challenge the reported findings through the appeal process, while the Premier League has yet to announce the sanctions, leaving the sporting and financial consequences unresolved.

Pochettino Says Manchester City Case Shows a “Period of Deception”

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