Rodri Backs Man City's 'Innocence' After Guilty Verdict

Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has publicly backed the club's insistence that they are innocent of financial wrongdoing, after City were found guilty of breaching the majority of 115 Premier League rules. He says the players will keep trusting the club until it is proved otherwise, and that their trophies cannot be taken away.

  • Who: Rodri, the former Manchester City midfielder who joined Barcelona in August
  • What: Says he believes in Manchester City's innocence and will keep trusting the club until they are proved wrong
  • Context: City have been found guilty of breaking the majority of 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching by the Premier League, and are set to appeal
  • When and where he spoke: At a news conference before Spain's Uefa Nations League match against England at Wembley
  • Precedent cited: The 2020 Court of Arbitration for Sport case, where City were cleared of separate financial fair play charges after initially being given a two-year Uefa ban
  • Key line: "What we did, they cannot take out of us," Rodri said about City's eight trophies won during the period covered by the Premier League case

What was said

"They always express the confidence that they never did something wrong and we believe in that,"

— Rodri, on Manchester City's stance

"Until the moment they are proved wrong, we will believe the club. They always tell us the confidence they have on the innocence."

— Rodri, on trusting the club

"We had the example of 2020 that the process was the same and at the end nothing happened."

— Rodri, citing the Court of Arbitration for Sport case

"There as well in the first instance we were found guilty, but we believed in the club and the innocence that the club maintained and in the end we ended up acquitted. So, I believe in the justice system, and I believe in the innocence of the club."

— Rodri, on the 2020 precedent

"What we did, they cannot take out of us."

— Rodri, responding to talk of City being stripped of titles

"It's something that is not paid by money. It's paid with effort, with the damage, with, you know, being shoulder to shoulder every day. I can tell you that everything was deserved, and I'm glad that I could live one of the best eras of English football in here."

— Rodri, on City's achievements

"I would have to look at the report of the independent commission, and people shouldn't jump to those kinds of conclusions. I know this has been a long process between the club and the Premier League. I think it has been quite a contested process. So I don't think it's as simple as jumping to conclusions. I think we would all need to study the independent commission's report in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions."

— Prime Minister Andy Burnham, speaking to ITV Granada

Rodri's comments are the strongest public defence of City from a former player since the verdict. He leans heavily on the 2020 Court of Arbitration for Sport case, when City were cleared of separate financial fair play charges after initially being given a two-year ban from European competitions by Uefa. That process, he argues, followed a similar path: found guilty at first, then acquitted.

His insistence that City's trophies cannot be removed reflects what he and his former team-mates feel about the period covered by the Premier League case. He speaks of effort and being "shoulder to shoulder", framing the club's success as earned on the pitch rather than bought. Andy Burnham, meanwhile, urged caution, calling for the independent commission's report to be studied in detail before conclusions are reached.

The numbers

  • 115: The number of financial rules Manchester City were accused of breaching by the Premier League
  • Majority: City were found guilty of breaking the majority of those 115 rules
  • 8: Trophies won by City in the period covered by the Premier League case
  • 3: League titles included in that trophy haul
  • 3: League Cups included
  • 1: Community Shield included
  • 1: FA Cup included
  • 2 years: The length of the European ban initially imposed by Uefa before the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared City in 2020

Rodri's defence rests on 2020 — but this case is different

Rodri, now 30 and a Barcelona player after leaving City in August, is not a current squad member at the Etihad. His words still carry weight because he was part of the era the Premier League case covers, and because he is one of the most respected voices in the game. He is effectively asking supporters and neutrals to separate the on-pitch record from the legal process.

The 2020 comparison is the core of his argument. City went through a similar sequence: an initial guilty finding from Uefa, a two-year European ban, then a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. For Rodri, that proves the system can correct itself. But the Premier League case is not the same. It covers 115 alleged breaches and is being heard by an independent commission, not Uefa's club financial control body. City are set to appeal, which suggests the process is far from finished.

The emotional heart of Rodri's remarks is his refusal to accept that titles could be removed. That is the punishment scenario most often raised, and it is the one he addresses most directly. For the players who lived it, stripping records would not erase the effort, the injuries or the daily grind. That is a sentiment City fans will share, even if it does nothing to change the legal reality.

Talking points

  • Rodri leans on the 2020 Court of Arbitration for Sport acquittal, but that case involved Uefa and a European ban, not 115 Premier League charges heard by an independent commission.
  • His claim that City's trophies "cannot be taken out of us" is emotionally powerful, yet the independent commission has the power to impose sporting sanctions if it chooses.
  • Andy Burnham's call to "study" the report is a politician's caution, but it also signals the verdict will remain contested in public long after the legal process ends.
  • Rodri is now a Barcelona player, so his words are those of an ex-City man, not a current one — does that make his loyalty more or less significant to the fanbase?

What happens next

Manchester City are set to appeal the verdict, meaning the case will continue beyond the independent commission's initial finding. In the meantime, the club and the Premier League will face questions about potential punishments, including compensation claims from other clubs and the possibility of relegation or stripped titles. Rodri, meanwhile, is preparing for Spain's Uefa Nations League match against England at Wembley, where he will face questions about his former club once again.

Frequently asked questions

What did Rodri say about Manchester City's guilt?

He said he believes in the club's innocence and that the players will continue to trust them until they are proved wrong. He also cited the 2020 Court of Arbitration for Sport case as proof that City can be acquitted.

Were Manchester City found guilty of all 115 charges?

No. According to the source article, City were found guilty of breaking the majority of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching, and they are set to appeal.

What trophies did Manchester City win during the period covered by the Premier League case?

City won eight trophies in that period: three league titles, three League Cups, one Community Shield and one FA Cup, as stated by Rodri.

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