“I Don’t Believe In That”- Arsene Wenger Backs Man City In ‘115 Charges’ Case

By The Editor
on 24th October 2024

Arsene Wenger takes unusual stance…

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has leapt to the defence of Manchester City amid their hearing regarding the Premier League’s case against them, beIN SPORTS reports.

The Premier League charged Manchester City with 115 breaches of their profit and sustainability rules dating back to 2008, with an independent hearing currently ongoing.

An outcome regarding the hearing is expected to be reached in the coming months with the champions facing the prospect of being expelled from the Premier League.

However, despite previously being an advocate of financial fair play, Wenger defended Man City and stated that it’s hard to believe a club as well-run as the Citizens could commit 115 offences.

The Frenchman went further, claiming that the very rules Man City is accused of having breached are now outdated anyway and need to be changed.

“I feel Financial Fair Play rules have to be changed in the Premier League. They face competition from other leagues who have changed rules,” Wenger said.

“You cannot see a club like Man City being charged by 115 charges, different charges. I don’t believe in that; a clever club, well-managed, well-run club.

“The Premier League has lost already a case against Man City linked with commercial activities,” Wenger added.

For those old enough to remember, Wenger has always been hypocritical when it comes to this topic. While he used it as a stick to beat Premier League clubs he couldn’t compete with on the pitch, his role in Qatar’s takeover of Paris St-Germain needed to be securitised.

Wenger was familiar with Nasser Al-Khelai through his punditry work with beIN SPORTS and then encouraged the Qatari-backed official to launch a takeover of his native club (via the Independent).

A man who once coined the term ‘financial doping’ when speaking about Chelsea was facilitating an identical deal.

You get the sense that Wenger wasn’t as much of a purist as he lets on and just wanted to have an excuse to explain why he could no longer compete to win a title. It sure didn’t stop Claudio Ranieri at Leicester City…