Enzo Maresca insists Manchester City's trophies 'absolutely not' tainted by financial rules violations

The manager reaffirmed his trust in the organization as it appeals an independent commission Enzo Maresca has insisted that Manchester City's titles over the last 17 years are "absolutely not" tainted as he reaffirmed his trust in the crisis-stricken club. Earlier this month, an independent commission upheld 114 of 115 charges brought by the Premier League in relation to City's violations of the competition's financial rules. City are appealing and have maintained their innocence as they and the rest of the league await news of a sanction that could deepen the crisis for the eight-time English champions and the English game as a whole. Between 2009 and 2018, a period in which they won three Premier League titles, City were found to have artificially reduced their costs and inflated their revenues to the tune of over £900 million, predominantly through the use of what the independent panel termed "sham" contracts with sponsors.

The years immediately after saw Pep Guardiola's side embark on one of the most sustained periods of success in the sport, winning five of the next six Premier League titles in addition to the 2023 Champions League and five domestic cups. Maresca, appointed to succeed Guardiola in the summer, was an assistant manager when City won that European title as part of their treble-winning season and had also