Roberto Mancini has appeared to acknowledge that he had what he described as a “double contract” during his spell in charge of Manchester City, while maintaining that the club should not be considered guilty in the case surrounding alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations.
The Italian coach, who guided City to their first Premier League championship in 2012, spent four years in Manchester and played a major role in the early period of the club’s transformation under Sheikh Mansour’s ownership.
Now managing the Italian national team, Mancini sought to distance himself personally from the wider financial controversy, saying the matter was ultimately one for his former club to address.
Payments During Mancini’s City Tenure Under Scrutiny
Part of the case involving Manchester City concerns financial arrangements connected with payments made to players and managers between 2009 and 2018.
Mancini’s own remuneration during his time at the Etihad Stadium has previously attracted attention. German publication Der Spiegel obtained material indicating that the Italian’s basic annual salary of £1.45 million was effectively doubled through a separate arrangement involving advisory work for a club in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking at an Italy press conference ahead of Monday’s Nations League fixture against Turkey, the 61-year-old responded to questions about the issue and suggested that the controversy was familiar territory.
According to Mancini, the subject has repeatedly resurfaced over the years rather than emerging as an entirely new development. He also defended Manchester City against accusations of wrongdoing.
“It’s not a problem that concerns me,” Mancini said.
He added that similar questions had returned every four or five years and insisted Manchester City were not guilty. Referring to the reported contractual arrangement, Mancini acknowledged having a double contract but argued that responsibility for the matter rested with the club rather than with him.
Mancini Helped Deliver City’s First Major Successes
Mancini occupies an important place in Manchester City’s modern history. After taking charge of the club, he helped deliver the first major trophies of the Sheikh Mansour era and established a platform from which City would go on to enjoy sustained domestic success.
The Italian first led the team to FA Cup glory before overseeing one of the most dramatic title victories in English football history.
City claimed the Premier League crown in 2012, ending a long wait for a top-flight championship and marking a significant moment in the club’s emergence as a dominant force in English football.
That success was achieved during Mancini’s four-year period in Manchester. His tenure eventually came to an end in 2013, shortly after City suffered a surprise defeat against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup final.
Although his departure closed an important chapter in the club’s development, the trophies secured under Mancini represented the beginning of the sustained success that followed.
Financial Case Places Manchester City Under Fresh Pressure
The former City manager’s comments come amid significant developments in the financial case involving his old club.
Reports published on Friday stated that Manchester City had been found guilty of the overwhelming majority of more than 100 charges concerning alleged violations of Premier League financial regulations.
The development has created major uncertainty across English football because of the potential implications of the case and the scale of the allegations involved.
Manchester City, however, continue to reject accusations that they committed financial wrongdoing.
The club’s position was reiterated by chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in a letter addressed to supporters on Saturday. He stressed that the Premier League proceedings had not yet reached their conclusion and indicated that City remained determined to defend themselves.
Al Mubarak said there was still a considerable distance to go in the process and maintained that the club’s confidence in establishing its innocence remained as strong as it had been when proceedings first began.
For Mancini, however, the questions surrounding his reported payment arrangements are not something he considers his personal responsibility.
While appearing to confirm that two contractual arrangements existed during his Manchester City tenure, the former City manager maintained that any issues arising from those agreements were ultimately matters for the club to answer.
