Manchester City
Rui Pinto renews criticism of Gianni Infantino over Manchester City case
Pinto has renewed his attack on Infantino, linking the FIFA president to City and PSG sanctions.
Rui Pinto has again placed FIFA President Gianni Infantino under intense scrutiny, reviving accusations tied to the long-running Manchester City case and accusing him of shielding the club from harsher punishment.
The Portuguese hacker, whose leaked material helped trigger the Premier League investigation into Manchester City, described Infantino as “a cancer on football.” In a social media post, Pinto argued that Infantino was already aware of the issues around the club in 2014, when he was UEFA General Secretary.
“Back in 2014, there was a man who was already aware of the irregularities involving Manchester City,” the activist wrote on social media . “That man now runs FIFA.
“The infamous Gianni Infantino, then UEFA General Secretary, abused his authority, shared confidential documents and, in short, outmaneuvered the Investigatory Chamber, doing everything in his power to ensure that both Manchester City and PSG would merely receive a fine, avoiding a deeper investigation that could have led to a Champions League ban. All of these details were also revealed through Football Leaks.
“Given his actions as UEFA General Secretary and, more recently, as FIFA President, I can only say, in my humble opinion, that Gianni Infantino has become a cancer on football and should have no place in the future of the game.”
The comments revisit UEFA’s 2014 examination of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, when both clubs avoided competition bans and were instead fined. Pinto and Der Spiegel later claimed that Infantino “circumvented” normal procedure and helped steer the matter toward that outcome.
Among the documents cited in the report was an email allegedly sent by Infantino to Khaldoon Al Mubarak in May 2014. It included the line: “Sorry for my ‘late-Friday-night email,’” along with the phrase, “You know you can trust me. … Let’s be positive!”
Der Spiegel also reported that UEFA’s Investigatory Chamber found City had accumulated a deficit of at least €188 million during a period when only €45 million could be lost. The same report said Infantino had held “secret talks, even supplying them with confidential materials” and made “compromises that he was unauthorized to propose.”
City’s dissatisfaction was also highlighted through a hacked email allegedly written by Simon Cliff, in which Al Mubarak was quoted as saying: “Khaldoon said he would rather spend 30 million on the 50 best lawyers in the world to sue them for the next 10 years.”
Infantino has not responded publicly while touring Asian soccer associations.
Manchester City
How Manchester City Could Face Immediate Expulsion Before Appeal Is Decided
Manchester City face pressure over expulsion rules as executives weigh action before the appeal verdict.
Manchester City’s weekend victory over Liverpool ensured there was no immediate fallout from the guilty verdict, at least on the pitch. But off it, the situation remains unresolved, with the club still appealing and maintaining that its innocence will be established.
For now, no sanction has been imposed. That leaves the Premier League in a holding pattern, even though its own rules do provide a route for the most severe outcome of all: expulsion.
Under Rule B6 of the league’s regulations, members can vote to remove a club from the competition. The rule states: “The League may expel a Club from membership upon a special Resolution to that effect being passed by a majority of not less than three-quarters of such members as (being entitled to do so) vote by their representatives or by proxy at a General Meeting of which notice specifying the intention to propose the Resolution has been duly given.”
In practical terms, that means 15 clubs could join forces to force City out immediately. The Independent has reported that discussions of that possibility have already taken place among several club executives.
One executive was quoted as saying: “This is a farce that will lead to protest, damage to the integrity and reputation of the competition, and possibly even violence,” one is quoted as saying. “The board has a duty at law to its shareholders to protect, enhance and promote the interests of the Premier League.”
The rule exists for a reason, and in theory it gives clubs the power to act if they believe expulsion serves the competition’s interests. Even so, that prospect is widely viewed as unlikely in the present climate.
Any attempt to remove City would almost certainly face a successful legal challenge, which would only deepen the uncertainty already surrounding the case.
Despite that, pressure for action is not easing. Club executives are still pushing for an immediate response, with growing concern that the season cannot continue along its current course.
Analytics & Stats
Premier League Gameweek 6: the standout performers by FotMob rating
FotMob ratings highlighted the top performers from a strong Premier League Gameweek 6 return.
After a three-week international pause, the Premier League resumed with a sixth round that produced a strong spread of individual displays. Using FotMob’s player ratings, here is a rewritten look at the weekend’s top 10 performers.
Declan Rice earned an 8.3 in Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds United. The midfielder was central to the result, posting a match-high 89 touches, adding 10 defensive contributions and producing the kind of subtle quality that made Bruno Guimarães’s winning goal possible.
Chelsea also featured heavily. Morgan Rogers, rated 8.3, scored the Blues’ second in their 5-1 win over Bournemouth and continued to settle quickly at Stamford Bridge. His dribbling stood out, while a cross-cum-shot helped take him to four Premier League goals in six games. He also recorded a match-high 13 defensive contributions.
Crystal Palace’s 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest included strong showings from Yéremy Pino and Adam Wharton, both on 8.3. Pino got on the scoresheet and created the most chances in the match with three, while Wharton supplied an assist from a corner and combined control with discipline, winning 75% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial battles without conceding a foul.
Jérémy Doku changed Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Liverpool from the bench, yet still led the match in dribbles with five and chances created with three before finishing with a superb strike. Elliot Anderson, rated 8.5, provided relentless energy and creativity, capped by the assist for Doku’s goal.
Rayan Cherki was the top-rated City player against Liverpool at 8.6, ending the scoring with a goal that summed up his flair and confidence. João Pedro led the weekend with an 8.8 after two goals for Chelsea against Bournemouth, doing his job in the physical contest and still making a decisive attacking impact from 25 touches.
Liverpool
Iraola questions Gravenberch booking after Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester City
Iraola hit out at Gravenberch’s first yellow after Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester City.
Andoni Iraola was left frustrated after Liverpool’s 3-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City, focusing his anger on Ryan Gravenberch’s red card and what he felt were soft decisions from referee Chris Kavanagh.
Liverpool were already under pressure when they conceded three times in a 13-minute spell after going down to a numerical disadvantage, and Iraola argued that Gravenberch’s first yellow was far too harsh. He also suggested the standard applied in the match should be carried through the rest of the season.
“I think the first foul of Ryan is never a yellow card, never,” said the Spaniard. “These kinds of games, just a stomp on the big toe, or something minor. He doesn’t even call the foul straight away. He lets bit go, I think Elliot Anderson does a couple of steps. He decides to go down. I don’t know why after he shows the yellow card, because it’s not a situation where it leaves advantage.
“We had nine players behind the ball. It’s like they had a lot of, you know, it was in the middle of the pitch, no danger there. And then you put, as a referee, yourself in trouble, and also you put us in trouble.”
His irritation was not confined to that incident. He added: “Also, at the beginning of the game, yellow card of Ronald [Araújo], I know he complains, he does this. But in these kinds of games, if you are going to start after a handball of [Marc] Guéhi, the punishment is for Ronald complaining.
“You put it straight away at the beginning of the game, the right back with a yellow card. I think you are in the textbooks, yes, perfect. He complains, you can show a yellow card, but then I will be very careful all the season. Every time someone complains, it has to be a yellow card.”
Gravenberch’s second booking, for pulling down Doku in the 62nd minute, was described as a clear yellow. But the first caution remained contentious, with the Dutchman booked in the 47th minute for contact that appeared minimal after he tried to pull out of the challenge. Speaking with Sky Sports, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher also disagreed with Kavanagh’s first booking decision.
