Mancini says Manchester City payment allegations are not his concern

Roberto Mancini has said allegations about a second contract during his time managing Manchester City are not his concern, responding after reports that the club had been found to have breached Premier League financial rules. BBC Sport and the Guardian reported his comments from an Italy news conference ahead of the national team’s Nations League match against Turkey.

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Mancini, now Italy’s manager, rejected the suggestion that the matter was his responsibility and maintained that City had not been found guilty. His remarks came as the club continued to dispute wrongdoing. The Guardian reported that City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak had reiterated the club’s confidence in proving its innocence in a letter to supporters on Saturday.

The payment allegations concern an arrangement reported by Der Spiegel involving consultancy work for Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira. BBC Sport said the German publication had alleged that a significant part of Mancini’s compensation was paid through a fictitious consultancy contract. These remain attributed allegations in the reporting; Mancini’s response does not establish the nature or legitimacy of any particular payment arrangement.

BBC Sport reported that 14 of the 115 charges brought against City concerned failures to provide accurate information about player and manager payments between 2009-10 and 2017-18. It said an independent panel had found against the club on all but one count, while sanctions had yet to be determined. The Premier League declined to comment, and City said the process remained ongoing and confidential.

Mancini’s Manchester tenure included two major trophies that helped establish the club’s success under Sheikh Mansour. He won the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League in 2012, City’s first top-flight championship in 44 years. His spell ended in 2013 after City lost the FA Cup final to Wigan, a departure recalled in the Guardian’s account of his response.

The financial case has extended well beyond those seasons. BBC Sport reported that the charges followed a four-year investigation and were issued in February 2023. A private hearing began in September 2024 and lasted about 12 weeks. With punishment still undetermined and City continuing to contest the case, the reports do not establish a final sporting consequence for the club.