Rodri says Manchester City are innocent until the appeal proves otherwise
Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has publicly backed the club's innocence after they were found guilty of breaching most of their 115 Premier League financial rules. Speaking before Spain's Uefa Nations League meeting with England at Wembley, the Barcelona player said the dressing room trusts the club's consistent message that no wrongdoing occurred.
- Verdict: Manchester City found guilty of breaching most of the 115 Premier League financial rules they were accused of breaking
- Speaker: Rodri, former City midfielder now at Barcelona
- Occasion: Spain's Uefa Nations League meeting with England at Wembley
- Expected next step: Manchester City are expected to appeal
- Precedent cited: The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned Uefa's two-year European ban in 2020
- Political context: Andy Burnham urged caution and said people should study the independent commission's report before reaching conclusions
What was said
"They always express the confidence that they never did something wrong and we believe in that."
"Until the moment they are proved wrong, we will believe the club. They always tell us the confidence they have on the innocence."
"We had the example of 2020 that the process was the same and at the end nothing happened."
"We have faced something similar, we had a similar judicial process. Different accusation but similar process."
"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."
"What we did, they cannot take out of us. 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."
"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."
Rodri's defence is emotional rather than legal. He is not arguing the technicalities of the 115 charges; he is describing the culture of the dressing room during his time at the club and the trust players placed in the board's consistent message. That trust was forged during the previous Uefa case, which ended with the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturning a two-year European ban in 2020.
His comments matter because they reveal how current and former players are likely to respond publicly as the appeal unfolds. The club's message has not shifted, and those who lived through the last fight see a familiar pattern. Whether that carries any weight with an independent commission is an entirely different question, but it explains the rallying around Manchester City from those who wore the shirt.
Why players trust the process — and why it may not matter
The most striking aspect of Rodri's intervention is the parallel he draws with 2020. He was part of the dressing room when Uefa's two-year ban was imposed and then overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. For him, the sequence was identical in feel: first a guilty finding at the initial stage, then an acquittal at the end. That experience has shaped how he and his former team-mates interpret the current Premier League verdict.
From a legal standpoint, the analogy carries limited weight. The Uefa case and the Premier League's 115-charge case are separate proceedings with different rules and different investigatory bodies. But from a player's perspective, the pattern is what matters. The club told them they had done nothing wrong, the first instance went against them, and the appeal delivered a different outcome. That is the script Rodri is referencing, and it is why he can say with conviction that he believes in the club's innocence.
The harder question is what happens if the appeal fails. Rodri was clear that no ruling can strip the players of what they achieved on the pitch — the effort, the sacrifice, the daily commitment. During the period covered by the Premier League case, City won eight trophies: three league titles, three League Cups, one Community Shield and one FA Cup. Whether those honours could be affected is not something he is willing to entertain, and his emotional defence is a reminder that the human side of this story runs parallel to the legal one.
The numbers
- 115 — Premier League financial rules Manchester City were accused of breaking
- Most — the proportion of those charges the club were found guilty of breaching
- 8 — trophies won by City during the period covered by the Premier League case
- 3 — league titles won in that period
- 3 — League Cups won in that period
- 1 — Community Shield won in that period
- 1 — FA Cup won in that period
- 2 — years of the Uefa European ban overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2020
Talking points
- Rodri's reliance on the 2020 CAS outcome is understandable, but the Premier League's 115-charge case is governed by a different body and a different rulebook. The precedent may not travel.
- If the appeal fails, does the club's eight-trophy haul from the period become vulnerable to sanctions? Rodri insists it cannot be taken away, but the commission will decide what carries weight.
- Andy Burnham's call for caution is reasonable, yet the verdict already exists. The appeal is now the only stage that can change the outcome, and the noise around the case will not slow down.
- Players past and present are rallying behind the club's innocence. That is loyalty, but it does not answer the 115 charges — the independent commission will.
What happens next
Manchester City are expected to appeal the verdict, which means the case will move to the next stage. The club's legal team will examine the independent commission's report in detail, while the Premier League will defend its position. Until that process concludes, the verdict stands but the final outcome remains unresolved. The appeal will determine what carries real weight once the noise dies down.
Frequently asked questions
What did Rodri say about Manchester City's 115 charges?
Rodri said the club have always told the players they did nothing wrong and that he believes in their innocence. He added that until they are proved wrong, the dressing room will believe the club.
Why does Rodri believe Manchester City will be cleared?
He cites the 2020 Uefa case, where City were initially found guilty but the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the two-year ban. He sees a similar process unfolding now.
What happens next after Manchester City were found guilty?
Manchester City are expected to appeal. Andy Burnham has urged people to study the independent commission's report in detail before reaching conclusions.
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