Man City boss Pep Guardiola hits back at UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin FFP comments: ‘He has to respect the process’ | Football News

Pep Guardiola has hit back at UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin over comments the European governing body was right to punish Manchester City for financial irregularities.

UEFA banned City from European competition for two years in February 2020 for breaching its Financial Fair Play rules but the ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CAS found that some of the charges against City were “not established” and others were time-barred.

Yet Ceferin is adamant his organisation was correct, telling the Daily Telegraph: “We know we were right. We wouldn’t decide if we didn’t think we were right.

UEFA chief Ceferin on Man City FFP charge: ‘We know we were right’Premier League chief: Date set for Man City chargeMan City charges explained”As a trial lawyer for 25 years, I know that, sometimes, you win a case that you are sure you will lose. And, sometimes, you lose a case when you’re sure. You just simply have to respect in a serious democracy the decision of the court.

“I don’t want to speak about the case in England. But I trust that the decision of our independent body was correct. I didn’t enter into this decision.”

‘He knows we have the right to defend ourselves’

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Pep Guardiola has hit back at UEFA president Ceferin’s comments

His remarks came as City await a Premier League hearing after being charged with 115 breaches of their domestic competition’s profit and sustainability rules.

City manager Guardiola feels that by speaking out now, Ceferin has not respected the ongoing process.

Guardiola said: “As the lawyer that he is, as president of UEFA, he should wait – and after do whatever he wants.

“He has to respect it and he has to wait. He has a lot of jobs to do at UEFA. A lawyer should respect the procedure. He knows we have the right to defend ourselves.”

Phillips completes medical ahead of loan move to West HamMan City transfers: Pep wishes Phillips well ahead of West Ham moveMan City sign Echeverri but loan him back to River Plate’Berrada deserves big honour if he makes Man Utd successful’Guardiola joked Manchester United should name a stand after Omar Berrada if their incoming chief executive proves to have the magic touch.

Berrada quit his role as chief football operations officer at rivals Manchester City last weekend after being offered the senior position at Old Trafford.

The appointment is a major coup for United with Berrada having been a key off-field part of City’s recent triumphs, but Guardiola has warned that his fellow Spaniard is no instant guarantee of success.

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Gary Neville believes Manchester United’s recruitment of new CEO Omar Berrada is a solid start to what should be a ‘serious football project’ moving forward

The City manager said: “Obviously his knowledge goes to United, that’s the reality.

“When you buy a player from another club you buy the knowledge that this player has had in the past with other managers and team-mates. That is normal.

“We learned a lot from Omar and he’s learned a lot from the club, and now he’s gone to United.

“Maybe United think with this person everything is going to change – congratulations. I don’t know if this is going to happen. He is a lovely person, an incredible character, incredible professional.

“If it does happen then, oh my God, they have to make a stand for Omar Berrada in the future because he’d deserve it.”

Guardiola offers Haaland return date

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Pep Guardiola feels Kalvin Phillips is an exceptional human and wishes him well for his supposed move to West Ham. The City boss also gave an update on the fitness of Erling Haaland

Erling Halaand “feels good” but Guardiola will give the striker three or four days’ more to recover while Man City travel to London for Friday’s FA Cup fourth round meeting with Tottenham.

The Norwegian has missed City’s last nine games due to a foot injury, but Guardiola is hopeful he will be able to feature in their next Premier League game against Burnley on January 31.

Guardiola said: “He is on the verge of coming back. For Friday he is not ready but he is close.

“The training camp was good, he trained some sessions. The last few days he’s trained but it is not perfect and we will wait a little bit more.

“Now he feels good and we give him three or four more days and hopefully in Burnley he can play some minutes, first minutes. We’ll see.”

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Erling Haaland has been missing since early December with a foot injury

Spurs vs Man City preview: Maddison back in training | Haaland still outFA Cup: Chelsea eye a double, Maddison returns, Newcastle boosted?John Stones is back in contention after an ankle injury but fellow defender Manuel Akanji remains on the sidelines. Goalkeeper Ederson is also fit after limping off in City’s last game at Newcastle.

City have lost on all five of their previous visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without even scoring a goal.

Guardiola said: “That is the reality, (and shows) how tough it is for us.

“Of course this is a ‘final’, a knockout game and to go through we have to score goals. Always it is a new opportunity to break it.

“The feeling is most of the times we played really good but the reality is there, no goals, five defeats – so they were much better than us.”