Wenger: If they broke the rules on purpose they cannot go unpunished
ARSENE WENGER believes big-spending Manchester City cost him trophies by plundering players from the Emirates.
The former Arsenal boss was a big critic of the Blues, accusing them of “financial doping” as Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna moved to the Etihad as City’s owners splashed the cash to transform the club.
Wenger constantly called for a UEFA clampdown and has little sympathy for the Premier League champions after they were hit with a two-year European ban and a £25million fine for failing to meet Financial Fair Play regulations. Speaking at the 20th Laureus Sports Awards,
he said:
“City bought all of my players! My belief is sport is about trying to win by respecting the rules.
“We celebrate the best in every sport – but only if we know the winners respect the rules. If there is no respect then it’s not real sport. The table is always linked to the amount of money clubs spend on players.
“Historically it was about the turnover of clubs – and more or less it used to be pretty much the same.
“But the financial strength of the top clubs has become stronger than it was 20 or 30 years ago.”
City have vowed to fight the censure and will lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have the UEFA punishment overturned.
The Blues have won four titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups since 2011 and have qualified for the Champions League for each of the last nine seasons. Wenger refused to be drawn on whether City should be stripped of any trophies by the Premier League and accepts the argument that FFP in its current guise is far from perfect.
But he said the club must be punished if they have flouted the regulations. He said: “I was always in favour of financial control on clubs and income that is not natural. I am also convinced the rules still have to evolve into something better – but at the moment they are what they are.
“If it is proven this has been done on purpose then City cannot go unpunished.”
■ THE 20th anniversary Laureus Awards celebrated Laureus Founding Patron Nelson Mandela’s words: “Sport has the power to change the world; to unite people in a way that little else does.”
2014, 2018, 2019
2 FA Cup 2011, 2019
4 League Cup 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019
3 Community Shield 2012, 2018, 2019