Roy Keane has called for Manchester City to face the full consequences after the club were found guilty of 114 of 115 financial-rule charges relating to the period from 2009 to 2018.
The former Manchester United captain rejected comments from Rodri, now a Barcelona midfielder, who said he trusted in the club’s “impunity” as the long-running case continues to cast a shadow over City.
Quick facts
- Manchester City were found guilty on 114 of 115 charges.
- The case concerns alleged financial-rule breaches between 2009 and 2018.
- Keane said City had chosen to cheat and must now accept their punishment.
- Rodri had expressed confidence that the club would avoid serious consequences.
Keane’s response was blunt. He said the matter had gone on for far too long and argued that Rodri’s message was the wrong one.
“It is about time,” Keane said. “This has been happening for a long time. I certainly do not agree with Rodri’s message. It was their decision; the club chose to cheat.”
The Irishman believes City’s success in recent seasons should not soften the eventual sanction. In his view, whatever the club have won must be set against the findings in the case.
“Whatever they have won in recent years, they deserve to be punished,” he said.
Keane also argued that the scale of the verdict demands a serious response. “It is difficult to know where to begin and end with it,” he said. “They cheated and they have been found guilty. Now they have to take the consequences. Being found guilty of 114 charges is a shock.”
The process remains ongoing, with the nature of City’s punishment still to be determined.
