Guardiola hits back at criticism over Manchester City ruling
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in Manchester City’s favor.
The fallout from Manchester City’s victory following the ruling from CAS which overturned their Champions League ban is still ongoing as manager Pep Guardiola has responded to some of the attacks on his club.
Guardiola said that he was happy with the ruling and that their success over the years, even before he took over, was well-earned.
"“What we have done in this club in the last decade was not on the pitch. I know that for elite clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United and especially Arsenal, it’s uncomfortable being here.“But they have to understand we deserve to be here. I’m incredibly happy for the decision. It shows that what all the people said about the club was not true.”Source: Marca"
Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho also criticized the ruling with the Tottenham boss calling the decision a “disgrace.” The Liverpool manager voiced his concern over the future of the Financial Fair Play system because of the ruling.
But they were far from the only ones who publicly voiced their disapproval. La Liga president Javier Tebas also chimed in with his two cents.
According to Goal, Tebas said the decision to overturn the ban and reduce their fine to €10 million meant that they needed to “reassess whether the CAS is the appropriate body to which
More from Manchester City
- Manchester City and their enigmatic coach stand on the cusp of greatness
- Three challenges Manchester City might face in upcoming season
- 3 potential destinations for Raheem Sterling next season
- Manchester City officially announce Erling Haaland signing
- Gabriel Jesus set for Manchester City departure
to appeal institutional decisions in football.”
There is no love lost between Tebas and Guardiola with the former criticizing City, and PSG, for what he sees as an unfair advantage in that they are funded by entities that seem to have unlimited resources.
Guardiola had a response for him as well.
"“He’s another one. Mr. Tebas must be so jealous of the Premier League and English football. He’s an incredible legal expert from what I see. So maybe next time we’re going to ask them in which court and before judges we have to go to.”Source: Marca"
He ended his response by suggesting Tebas should be concerned and focused on La Liga. One of Tebas’s goals has been for La Liga to overtake the Premier League especially in the United States but so far has made little headway.
Again, Tebas has never been shy about voicing his opinion on Manchester City and was very pleased when the UEFA ruling came down. Obviously not so much anymore given what he said about CAS.
It is no surprise that Pep has come out and defended his club. In the court of public opinion, they will still be seen as guilty in the eyes of others and that they got off with a technicality.
The fact of the matter is that City were found guilty and punished. It may not have been to the extent initially proposed but they were found to to have failed to cooperate with UEFA authorities per the statement released by CAS.
Whether one agrees with the ruling is a different question entirely. It also doesn’t mean the end of FFP as some have suggested. What it means is that the process needs to be improved so that clubs can’t maneuver and get off on technicalities.
Next. Barcelona tracking Arsenal striker as a Lautaro Martinez backup. dark
It’s unlikely this is the last time we hear about this especially with the Champions League set to return in August. City are currently 2-1 up in their tie against Real Madrid and after Bayern Munich, are probably the other favorite to win it all.