MANCHESTER, England : With Manchester City’s hearing into their 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules set to begin on Monday, manager Pep Guardiola has said he is looking forward to the decision by an independent commission.
The hearing, which could last about two months with a verdict expected by season’s end, starts amid a stretch of six games in two weeks in three competitions for the four-times reigning league champions, who host Brentford on Saturday.
“It starts soon and then (hopefully) finishes soon. An independent panel will decide and I am looking forward to the decision,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
He said there was no talk among his players about the hearing’s potential impact.
“I am not a lawyer. (Striker) Erling (Haaland) is not a lawyer,” Guardiola said, adding that City will accept the verdict. “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”
City’s alleged breaches of rules relating to the provision of accurate financial records go back to the 2009-10 campaign.
The club are also charged with failing to comply with rules requiring clubs to follow UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations from the 2013-14 to 2017-18 seasons and failing to follow rules on Profitability and Sustainability from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
City could face penalties such as a points deduction or relegation if found guilty. Everton and Nottingham Forest had points deducted last season for rule breaches.
AKE SIDELINED
Guardiola will be without injured Dutch defender Nathan Ake for the next few weeks, while Haaland may miss Saturday’s match at Etihad Stadium for compassionate reasons when City put their 100 per cent league record on the line against the Bees.
Ake was carried off on a stretcher with an apparent hamstring injury in the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw at home to Germany on Tuesday.
“We are unlucky with Nathan – every time he goes there (to play for Netherlands) he comes back injured,” said Guardiola, adding that the 29-year-old will be out until the next international break in mid-October.
Haaland, who leads the league in scoring with seven goals, is mourning the death of a close family friend.
“It is a tough moment for him and his family,” Guardiola said. “It is sad and we will see (Saturday) if he is able mentally or physically to play.”
Midfielders Phil Foden and Rodri returned to training this week and “look really good,” said Guardiola, after an illness kept Foden from playing for England in the international break and Rodri picked up a small knock with Spain.
Asked about the crowded upcoming match schedule, Guardiola said it was nothing his players were not used to.
“It is going to happen many times when teams play in all competitions,” he said. “We will do our job anyway because we love to do it. I’m not a specialist about the calendar. We follow it. Everyone knows the schedule will be tight this season so you just have to accept it.”
City and Liverpool are the only two teams who have won all three Premier League matches this season. Brentford are three points off the pace in sixth after two wins and a defeat.
