City were charged by the Premier League with over 100 alleged financial breaches last month, following a four-year investigation into activity spanning as far back as 2009. City are alleged to have breached league rules requiring provision in utmost good faith of accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the clubs financial position – claims the club strongly denies.
Everton were hit with a 10-point deduction last week for breaching FFP rules with the club set to appeal the decision. They also hinted that they would use the outcome of the investigation into City to form their response.
The span of City investigation covers Pellegrini&aposs three seasons in charge at the Etihad between 2013 and 2016, a spell in which the Chilean won the Premier League in his first season as well as two League Cups. And he believes the prospect of stripping previous titles would be unjust and that criticism of his former side&aposs spending is unfair, given other Premier League clubs have also spent huge money.
The criticism is unfair, Pellegrini told the Guardian. If there had been an astronomical difference, then maybe, but Chelsea were spending a fortune, Manchester United were spending a fortune, Liverpool, Arsenal. When I arrived, Txiki [Begiristain] and Ferran [Soriano] hadnt been there long.
“The work City did was very good; its not just related to money. For example, they swapped [Roberto] Mancini for me for football reasons. And then [when I left], they said: if its not [Pep] Guardiola, its you. You work for three years, Guardiola comes: theres continuity.
