Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has delivered a blistering assessment of Manchester City amid the club’s ongoing financial scandal, directly clashing with Rodri over the severity of the charges and the validity of the club’s past trophies. Speaking in a broadcast interview, Keane asserted that the club deserves heavy punishment after being found guilty in the vast majority of Premier League regulatory charges.
Roy Keane Slams City and Disputes Rodri’s Stance
The financial investigation into Manchester City has dragged on since 2023, centering on a sprawling set of alleged rule breaches spanning from 2009 to 2018. British media outlets report that an independent commission set up by the Premier League has found the club—which secured three league titles during the disputed window—guilty in 114 out of 115 counts. While the disciplinary panel has yet to formally announce exact sporting or financial penalties, the looming verdict has ignited fierce debate across English football.
Keane did not mince words when addressing the situation on ITV, making it clear that he believes past successes won under a cloud of financial rule-breaking carry an asterisk. “What also ever they in the past few years have won — they deserve to be punished. Where we start and where we end is hard to say, but they have cheated,” Keane stated. “They have been found guilty of it and now have to take the consequences. It was a shock to be found guilty on so many charges.”
Those remarks stood in stark direct opposition to comments made by Rodri. The Spanish midfielder, who featured for the club from 2019 until transferring to Barcelona ahead of this season, maintained absolute faith in the organization’s integrity. Rodri argued that even if governing bodies stripped the club of past titles, it would not diminish what the players achieved on the pitch, pointing to a previous 2020 legal clearance as proof of the club’s innocence under appellate review.
Keane rejected that logic entirely. “I would disagree with Rodri’s comments in that respect. It was the decision of the club — they decided to cheat,” Keane said, adding that the club must now swallow a bitter pill because the sanctions are fully warranted.
The Scope of the Premier League Case
The charges hanging over Manchester City cover nearly a decade. The Premier League referral outlines suspected violations related to accurate financial reporting, detailed disclosures of true operating revenues including commercial sponsorships, and transparent accounting regarding player and manager compensation packages. Throughout the multi-year process, the club has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
With the independent commission’s guilty verdicts reportedly established across 114 separate counts, attention turns to the severity of the prospective punishment. Manchester City retains the right to appeal any formal sanctions once the penalty framework is officially handed down. Until the commission releases its definitive sentencing guidelines, the club faces a governance test in the modern era of English professional soccer.
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