Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola came out all guns blazing in his Friday press conference.
There were almost no questions about the title race, where the champions are already five points behind Arsenal, having played one match more.
Neither was Guardiola probed about Aston Villa who they welcome to the Etihad this Sunday.
It was about the over 100 charges that City were slammed with by the Premier League this week.
This came at the end of a four-year investigation and it remains to be seen whether any of these breaches will be upheld by the commission or if any punishment will follow.
If found guilty, City could be heavily deducted points, expelled from the Premier League or even stripped of their titles during the alleged period of breaches.
Guardiola doesn’t care.
“In case we are not innocent, we will accept what the judge or the Premier League decides.
“When UEFA charged us… it was the same. The same articles, the same accusations. We have been in the lower divisions. We will go back there, just in case,” Guardiola told the media without flinching.
“But what is actually possible?
“Babatunde Elliot, a football agent in the UK, tells newsmen: “First of all, we need to understand the onset of all this madness.
“These charges include different ways they have tried to inflate what they make or reduce what they spend.
“But when you get found out, it becomes a problem.
“In terms of sanctions, we don’t know how long this investigation will go on for. It could be next season. Or even the season after. Because there will be a lot of back and forth.
“But in terms of sanctions, nothing is off the table. From points deduction to expulsion from the Premier League. Some are even saying they could be sent to the National League, which is crazy.
“Also, they could be stripped of their past titles, which would be an absolute nightmare. Because what would you say to clubs that should have qualified for the Champions League and lost out on revenues from UEFA those years?”
Guardiola and City as it appears are already fighting on many fronts. And they could file out against Villa eight points behind Arsenal. Would all these affect them psychologically?
“I don’t think it will affect them that much. These City players are used to winning. Their mentality is super high.
“There will be no verdict this year. So this season will play out the way it will.
“I think Arsenal will win the league though. Because they are the best coached team in the division and they are playing amazing football. Man City on the other hand don’t look like themselves,” Elliott added
