Klopp, Mourinho, Arteta and Pep react to City’s FFP CAS decision

Premier League Managers, Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Mikael Arteta and Sean Dyche of Burnley have all expressed divergent views on the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) to overturn Manchester City’s two-year ban from the UEFA Champions League by UEFA over what the European football governing body termed violations to the body’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

“I am happy that City can play in the Champions League but I don’t think it was a good day for football yesterday, to be honest,” Klopp told Sky Sports ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal on Wednesday at his pre-match press conference

“Just because I think FFP is a good idea. It’s there for protecting teams, protecting the competition.

“That was the idea at the start, that nobody overspends and stuff like this. Clubs have to make sure that money they want to spend is based on the right sources.”

Klopp added: “I really hope that FFP stays because it gives at least kind of borders that you can go to but not over, which is good for football.

“If you start doing it so that nobody cares anymore, the richest people or countries can do what they want to do and that would make the competition really difficult.

“I think that would automatically lead to a world super league, with like 10 clubs.”

Tottenham Manager, Jose Mourinho described the decision as “disgraceful” and a “disaster”.

Mourinho said: “If Manchester City is not guilty of it, to be punished by some million is a disgrace. If you’re not guilty you’re not punished. In the other way, if you’re guilty you should be banned. In any case, it’s a disaster.”

“I’m not saying Manchester City is guilty. I’m saying if you’re not guilty you don’t pay. Even with a pound.

“I know that money is quite easy for them but still. If you’re guilty you should be banned from the competition.

“I’m nobody to know if they’re guilty or not. My criticism is for the decision.”

“I think it is going to be the end of Financial Fair Play because there is no point.

“In this moment, we are speaking about Manchester City but in the past other clubs were in a similar situation and you know the results of it.

“So I think it is better to open the circus door and let everybody enjoy and go inside for free and come out again. Do it with freedom.”

However, Manchester City Boss, Pep Guardiola believes they did nothing wrong and has insisted that City deserved an apology.

Guardiola said: “We should be apologized to.”

“If we did something wrong, we will accept the decision. But we have the right to defend ourselves when we believe what we have done is correct. Three independent judges said this.”

“Yesterday was a good day for football, because we played with the same Financial Fair Play rules as all the clubs in Europe. People said we were cheating and lying, and many times the presumption of innocence was not there.”

“This club has tried for all history to do our best on the pitch. What we have done in the last decade is because of what happened on the pitch.”

“The elite clubs have to understand we deserve to be here.”

Arsenal Manager, Mikael Arteta who until recently was Pep Guardiorla’s assistant at man City threw his weight behind his former Club “There is no question about what happened.”

“They completely deserve to be in the Champions League because what they done on the pitch is unquestionable – and the regulators have looked at it and have decided that they haven’t done anything wrong.

“So, you have the two aspects that are really clear and transparent.

“They are going to be in the Champions League and they deserve it for what they do on the pitch and what they do outside the pitch.”

Burnley Manager, Sean Dyche said: “Well I don’t think it changes radically, we’ll always be punching somewhat above our weight. There’s a clutch of clubs similar-ish in the Premier League who are not going out there spending vast amounts of money, but we think we develop well.