Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that Liverpool ‘could never feel like’ champions if they were to be retrospectively awarded Premier League titles.
Manchester City were charged by the Premier League last month over a series of alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, with the allegations covering a nine-year timeframe between 2009/10 and 2017/18 (Sky Sports).
If found guilty, the Etihad Stadium outfit could be subjected to a series of heavy sanctions, including the potential stripping of top-flight titles they lifted between the specified period (i News).
The second of those was won in 2013/14, when Pellegrini’s Sky Blues usurped Liverpool in the closing stages of the season to pip the Reds to the title.
Although some fans have called for City to have those Premier League crowns taken off them and duly handed to the runners-up in those respective campaigns (Daily Express), the Chilean remains vehemently opposed to that idea.
Addressing the notion that his side won the league unfairly, he retorted (via The Telegraph): “If anyone thinks that, they are wrong. It is not tainted. What happened on the pitch is indisputable. I will always feel like a Premier League champion. We won it fairly.
“Even though there might be some sanctions, a team that finished second could never feel like the champion after not winning on the pitch. There may be administrative punishments, but no one will ever be able to take away that title or the emotions we experienced.”
If City are hit hard by sanctions and the 2013/14 Premier League title is retrospectively awarded to Liverpool, it wouldn’t have the same feeling of euphoria which accompanied any of the trophies won under Jurgen Klopp.
However, considering the Manchester club were charged around 100 times for FFP breaches (Sky Sports), it’s hard not to feel the trophies they won in that time weren’t tainted to some degree.
Remember, they were also set to be booted out of European competition by UEFA three seasons ago for flouting financial regulations, although that ban was eventually overturned (Manchester Evening News).
Our fans might sometimes complain about the moderate transfer spending under FSG, but at least our owners live within our means and respect the regulatory parameters within which we must operate.
Pellegrini can expect to get short shrift from Kopites over these remarks.
You Manuel, like many others are selectively missing the point when you say that you won it fair and square on the pitch. The fact is, because of City’s extreme financial cheating they were able to buy many, many players, who would and should have been well beyond their financial abilities. Cooking the books meant they could buy anyone, therefore nothing was won fair and square on the pitch. Everyone’s known about it for years only the EPL that seem to have been living under a rock. I hope they’re stripped of every title/trophy won during this period and are expelled from the the EPL. Sure, I won’t celebrate being handed a trophy that we would have won had it not been for the cheats, but I’ll sleep better knowing the wall of Champions gets an increase in numbers.
He’s right about the euphoria. It won’t be the same. But it will still be enjoyable. But then we realise United will be awarded at least one title. Maybe more.
PURFECT