Man City chief ‘frustrated’ by Premier League title doubts

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has admitted his “frustration” at having the legitimacy of their treble questioned because of accusations of financial wrongdoing from the Premier League.

City completed English football’s first treble in nearly 25 years by lifting the Champions League trophy in Istanbul with a 1-0 win over Inter.

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The success came just months after the club were charged with more than 100 counts of financial irregularities between 2009 and 2018 that could, if proven, result in City having titles stripped or even relegation.

It has prompted a debate about whether the success of Pep Guardiola’s team — winners of the title in five of the last six seasons — has been achieved fairly.

“‘I mean it’s very frustrating because it takes so much from the great work that’s happening at this club and it’s happening not just on the football pitch,” Khaldoon said in an interview conducted by the club.

“On the football pitch, what these players have achieved this year, the treble, is incredible. I hope people focus and judge them for their football and what they’re achieving on the pitch and what they’re achieving in every competition they’re in.

“That’s the reality. The club as a whole is well run, is very well run.

“People will throw at us ‘the biggest spenders’, ‘you have the biggest squad’. I wish people could just pause and ask the question and get the facts and then comment.”

City have been referred to an independent commission over the charges, but there is still no timeline for when the process might conclude.

“Obviously I can’t talk about them unfortunately for legal reasons,” Khaldoon added.

“And what I would typically always do is comment after, so I think we’re going to go through, we’re going through the legal process. These are proceedings that take whatever time they take and when we’re done, we’ll have a conversation.

“I’ll give you my very blunt views, I promise you that. I have very strong views on that, but I am going to be unfortunately very restrained today.”

Khaldoon admitted to feeling “relief” after City lifted the Champions League for the first time in their history having gone close a number of times under Guardiola, most notably reaching the final in 2021 when they were beaten by Chelsea.

Guardiola signed a new two-year contract in November which will keep him at the Etihad until 2025 and the City chairman said they are targeting even more trophies under the 52-year-old.

“I’m already thinking about next year,” Guardiola said.

“There was a joke between me and [CEO] Ferran Soriano and [director of football] Txiki Begiristain and Pep, when we had our moment, we looked at each other and it was, okay, now we’ve got to do it again.

“We have so much more to achieve, and the challenge continues, and the journey continues and hopefully next year we’ll be able to produce another special year.”