Emery makes bombshell claim about Premier League rivals after Man City verdict

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has responded to the Manchester City scandal by shockingly claiming that "many other clubs" have "inflated their budgets".

City have launched an appeal after a Premier League commission found them guilty of 114 of the 115 charges against them. The club was found to have used a "disguised funding scheme" between 2009 and 2018 to hide secret funding of more than £830million.

They are expected to claim that key sponsorship deals were not "sham" arrangements used to "disguise the true extent of certain club liabilities", but were funded by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than the club's owners.

The bombshell news is still being processed, with rival Premier League clubs reportedly keen for City to be punished harshly, given the extent of their financial breaches. Aston Villa boss Emery has now become the first Premier League manager to comment publicly on City's case, giving a worrying response.

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Asked by Diario de Sevilla what the impact would be on the Premier League, Emery replied: "It's an issue that was already known. Because we all have our restrictions, we have to sell players to comply with Financial Fair Play, we have to figure out how to draw up contracts with new people.

"Financial Fair Play seeks a financial balance so that what you generate is spent and there isn't inflation. Yes, many other clubs have inflated their budgets, and now it's coming to light, and naturally there's a decline.

"That's something that the courts and those responsible will have to decide. I feel sorry because how that team played. With [Pep] Guardiola, there were times when they were unmatched."

Back in June, Aston Villa were fined £19.4m by European football's governing body, UEFA, for a "significant breach" of its squad-cost rule for 2025. Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle were all also fined for breaches of UEFA's rules, which differ to the Premier League's.

Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules are designed to keep club's spending in check and ensure their expenditure is broadly in line with what they are earning. By artificially increasing sponsorship deals, City were able to cheat the system.

City claim that the money in question came from the Abu Dhabi government, not owners Abu Dhabi United Group. ADUG is a private investment company belonging to United Arab Emirates vice-president and deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour.

The club has always strongly denied wrongdoing, claiming to have 'irrefutable evidence' and their decision to launch an appeal means the case will continue for much longer.

But they could be forced to face up to very serious consequences, with the commission having the power to impose heavy fines, points deductions or even relegation. There have also been calls for the titles City won during the nine-year period in question to be stripped, although that is unlikely.

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