Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has joked that he may not live to see the outcome of the legal battle between Manchester City and the Premier League, after the club appealed a ruling that found it in serious breach of financial regulations.
According to Al Jazeera, an independent commission found Man City guilty on all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, plus three of four charges of failing to cooperate with the investigation. Man City denies any wrongdoing and has filed an appeal.
The Premier League accuses Man City of using "fake" commercial deals to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than 900 million pounds (about 1.19 billion USD) over nearly a decade, resulting in inaccurate financial reporting and breaches of spending rules.
Mourinho managed Manchester United from 2016 to 2018 and led the club to a second-place Premier League finish behind Pep Guardiola's Man City in the 2017-18 season.
"I'd rather laugh about it than not," Mourinho said when asked about the case in an interview with Italy's Corriere dello Sport.
"I think eventually we'll get a conclusion, but we're both over 60 now, and we'll need luck to still be alive when the final verdict comes."
"There will be a verdict, then an appeal, then more appeals."
Mourinho has long maintained that one of the greatest achievements of his managerial career was finishing second behind Guardiola's side, given the opponent's spending at the time.
The Portuguese coach, now 63, said in 2024 that he had not given up hope of being awarded the title for the 2018 season.
"I think we still have a chance of winning the Premier League that season, because maybe they'll dock Man City points and maybe we'll be champions," he joked at a pre-match press conference for a Europa League game against Man United while managing Fenerbahce.
"Then they'll have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal."
The appeal process will be held behind closed doors, and it remains unclear whether any sanctions will be imposed before the hearing takes place, or whether any punishment would take effect immediately.
Man City, chasing a sixth consecutive Premier League title, currently top the table with 15 points from five games and travel to Liverpool on Sunday. Defending champions Arsenal host Leeds on Saturday, while Man United welcome Tottenham the same day.
Mourinho's Real Madrid trail fierce rivals and La Liga leaders Barcelona by six points, with five wins and two defeats from seven games this season. Both Barca and Real play on Saturday, hosting Getafe and Villarreal respectively.
