Man City ban: Mourinho, Klopp not happy with CAS decision (video)
Rival managers Jose Mourinho of Tottenham, Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool, and Mikel Arteta of Arsenal have all reacted to the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to lift the two-year club competition imposed on Manchester City.
Ahead of their respective midweek clash, the three managers gave their opinion on the decision.
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Mourinho stated that it was a disgrace by CAS to overturn the decision stating that why were Manchester City still fined if they were innocent.
He said, “In relation to the decision, in any case it’s a disgraceful decision. If Man City is not guilty of it, to be punished by some million is a disgrace.
“If you’re not guilty you’re not punished. In the other way, if you’re guilty you should be banned. So it’s also a disgraceful decision. In any case, it’s a disaster. If you’re not guilty, you don’t pay.
“I’m not saying Man City is guilty. I’m saying if you’re not guilty you don’t pay. You are not punished, even with a pound.
“I know that money is quite easy for them but it’s just a principle. Why are you paying 8-9million if you are not guilty?
“If they are not guilty, the decision is a disgrace. If you are guilty the decision is also a disgrace. If you’re guilty you should be banned from the competition.
“My criticism is not for Manchester City. I’m nobody to know if they’re guilty or not. My criticism is for the decision.”
Klopp stated that the decision was not good for football, he said, He said: “I absolutely don’t wish anybody anything bad. I’m happy that City can play in the Champions League, but I don’t think it was a good day for football (on Monday) to be honest.
“I think FFP is a good idea. It’s there for protecting teams and protecting competition, that was the idea from the start – so that nobody overspends and clubs before the season have to make sure that the money they want to spend is based on the right sources, let me say it like that.
“I only read a little bit about the wording (of the City case) and why it was like it was, and it’s not up to me to judge these things and I don’t.
“I only think this FFP frame, which is for all of us, we all should stick to. It makes sense we have these kind of rules.
“I really hope FFP stays because it gives at least kind of borders where you can go to but not over. That’s good for football.
“If you start doing that nobody has to care any more at all, then the richest people or countries can do whatever they want in football. That would make the competition really difficult.
“I think that would lead automatically to kind of a world super league with 10 clubs – I don’t know the clubs, but it wouldn’t depend on the names of the club but on the people who own the clubs.”
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Arteta who was the assistant to Guardiola at Manchester City, however, stated that his former side deserved the victory.
He said, “There is no question about what happened.
“They completely deserved to be in the Champions League because what they have done on the pitch is unquestionable.
“The regulators have looked at it and have decided that they haven’t done anything wrong so you have the two aspects that are really clear and transparent.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo however choose to not have an opinion on the issue, he said, “It is decided. It is not related to us.
“It is something that I don’t read about. It is something that is not our focus. Our focus is to prepare well and compete well game by game and we will see what happens.”
Watch the comments by the manager
