Jose Mourinho tells club to 'pay points' in stunning new rant over charges

Jose Mourinho has once again hit out at Manchester City amid their Financial Fair Play (FFP) case, telling Pep Guardiola’s side to ‘pay points’ if they are found guilty and hand over the 2017-18 Premier League title to Manchester United.

Man City have been charged with breaking financial rules on 130 occasions between 2009 and 2018. The Premier League have also accused them of failing to co-operate with their investigation.

It is alleged that City failed to provide accurate information on their finances, which the Premier League believe could have given them an advantage in terms of transfer spend and wages.

City strenuously deny the allegations and have continued as normal, spending money on players such as Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki this summer.

The hearing took place between September and December last year, with City using what they claim to be ‘irrefutable evidence’ to back up their defence.

Guardiola told reporters he was expecting the verdict to emerge by the end of March, but that deadline came and went. The longer the verdict takes to arrive, the higher the risk of it affecting future seasons, as there could be appeals from either side.

Mourinho will likely be furious if City are found guilty, as his Man Utd side finished second to them in the Premier League in 2018. Admittedly, United were 19 points behind their rivals, but Mourinho thinks a hefty points deduction for City could give both him and the Red Devils another league title.

In an interview with Portuguese outlet Canal 11, the Fenerbahce boss said of his time at Old Trafford: “There’s a critical moment at that club, not only with Sir Alex’s departure, but also with David Gill’s. David Moyes came in, but when my Netflix documentary comes out, the story will be told.

“I’ll arrive later, and when I arrive, I’ll arrive at a club still going through that period. We won several things, we finished second in the league. I still say I don’t understand clubs that are punished with financial fair play and pay [in cash].

“I think they should pay points. Manchester City was punished, and legally, we should have won the league. But it wasn’t enough for me to have stability, continuity.”

While the verdict of the case involving City and the Premier League has yet to be announced, the Cityzens were initially banned from the Champions League for two years and fined €30million after they were found to have broken UEFA spending rules in February 2020.

The fine was later reduced to €10m, while their two-season suspension was lifted.

DIVE DEEPER 🌐 Man City FFP: Damning verdict on Premier League relegation as pundit names most likely punishment

‘Give me my medal’ – Jose Mourinho

This is not the first time Mourinho has complained about City’s FFP charges. Before Fenerbahce faced United in the Europa League in October, Mourinho discussed his time at Old Trafford and mentioned City.

“As you know, we won the Europa League, we finished second in the Premier League,” he said.

“I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points, and maybe we win that league. Then they have to pay me the bonus and give me my medal.”

Mourinho and Guardiola have been long-term rivals ever since they battled in Spain while in charge of Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.

Mourinho was tasked with disrupting Barca’s dominance and the ferocity of the rivalry between the two clubs contributed to Guardiola eventually leaving the Camp Nou.

Man City transfer news: Rodri claim; midfielder battle

Meanwhile, reports in the Spanish press claim Real Madrid could offer City two world-class stars for Rodri.

City could enter into a transfer battle with United if separate reports are to be believed.

City director of football Hugo Viana hopes to land a €60m-rated captain first.

QUIZ: Higher or lower?

Click here to read article