Mauricio Pochettino slams Manchester City over financial breaches as USMNT boss claims no punishment can fix 'damaged' Premier League

Recent reports confirmed Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 out of 115 charges concerning violations of Premier League financial rules between 2009 and 2018. During this nine-year span, the Manchester outfit secured three top-flight titles, an FA Cup, and three League Cups. Legendary moments from this era, including Sergio Aguero’s dramatic title-winning goal against Queens Park Rangers in 2012, now face intense public scrutiny regarding their legitimacy.

While City collected silverware, Pochettino was managing Tottenham under strict financial constraints. Spurs famously went 18 months without signing a single player to fund their new stadium, finishing third in 2017-18 and second the year prior behind a Chelsea side that also breached financial rules.

Speaking through a translator before the United States’ clash with Chile, Pochettino expressed disbelief at the unprecedented scale of the verdict. The Argentine coach questioned how league officials allowed such widespread violations to occur undetected for so long.

"It's very difficult when out of 115 charges you are found guilty of 114 to know what the punishment should be to make it fair," Pochettino said. "Because there are other clubs like Nottingham Forest or Everton that broke rules and received different sanctions, whether point deductions or fines. It's a very difficult situation that causes astonishment given the magnitude of the verdict. And it's also fair to ask where the controls were for the rules to be broken like that. That's what catches my attention the most."

The former Chelsea boss also lamented how these breaches cast a shadow over past achievements. "It's a very sad situation because what was already achieved and celebrated maybe wasn't real, and what wasn't so good could have been better," he added. "We have lived through a period where sporting justice did not exist. If the charges are proven, it's very difficult to repair what happened. I hope that at least it serves to ensure equality exists in the future."

The revelation is particularly bitter for Pochettino, who guided Tottenham to a Champions League final in 2019 on a shoestring budget. He highlighted the glaring disparity between his former club's austerity and the spending power of their rivals.

"That was a big disadvantage because we were fighting among the best teams and reaching a Champions League final [in 2019]," Pochettino explained. "Why were those controls so strict with us and not as much with others? That's why I say everything is very strange, and the problem is that everything gets clouded. If it's true that they broke 114 rules, we have lived through a period of deceit. No type of punishment will make it possible to repair what was done, and the Premier League's controls are severely damaged."

Pochettino also pointed to his past title battles with Chelsea, questioning the fairness of those campaigns. He concluded: "I said at the time regarding Chelsea's situation when we fought for the title with them while I was at Tottenham, that they were better because they got more points, but by breaking rules. How do you repair that?"

Moving on from English domestic drama, Pochettino must now focus on his current project with the United States men's national team. The Stars and Stripes face Chile in a friendly on Tuesday as they continue their preparations under the new manager.

Following the clash with the South American outfit, the USMNT will conclude their September/October international window schedule with two stern continental tests against Mexico and Canada. These fixtures will be crucial for Pochettino to evaluate his squad ahead of future competitive tournaments.