Shadows cast over Manchester City’s historic Treble because of Financial Fair Play charges are “frustrating”, says chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak.
This season they became the second English team to achieve the Treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup after Manchester United in 1999.
“What these players have achieved this year is incredible,” Khaldoon said.
“I hope people focus and judge them for their football and what they’re achieving on the pitch and what they’re achieving in every competition they’re in. That’s the reality.”
City have been referred to an independent commission for more than 100 alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, and manager Pep Guardiola has said he would like matters dealt with immediately.
Speaking in an end-of-year in-house interview, Khaldoon said: “It’s very frustrating because it takes so much from the great work that’s happening at this club.
“The club as a whole is well run – very well run.
“I can’t talk about them (the charges) unfortunately for legal reasons. These are proceedings that take whatever time they take and when we’re done, I’ll give you my very blunt views. I have very strong views on that, but I am going to be unfortunately very restrained today.”
The Premier League has accused City of breaching rules requiring them to provide “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position” – information which covers revenue, including sponsorship income and operating costs.
City, who were also accused of not co-operating with the Premier League investigation, said they were “surprised” by the charges and are supported by a “body of irrefutable evidence”.
Khaldoon said the reason behind City’s success is their ability to bring in “world-class investors” to create a “commercial machine here that is one of the best in the world”.
“We’re the number one football brand in the world. These are the facts,” he said.
“I wish people can just pause and ask the question and get the facts and then comment.”
‘You can always top it’
Khaldoon said the Treble is “the most difficult thing to possibly achieve in the world of football”.
“It is incredibly incredible, which is why it’s only been done once 24 years ago,” he said.
Despite that, Khaldoon says the successes of the 2022-23 season can be bettered, starting with City’s Super Cup, Club World Cup and Community Shield matches this summer.
“You always can top it because the future is the future and records are records,” he said.
“We want to win these and we want to add them to the history of this great club, to the legacy of this great club. Everything we do is setting new records and new standards.
“We’re building a legacy for this club, a new modern legacy.”
‘Just the beginning for Haaland’
Having scored 52 goals in his first season at City, Erling Haaland was crucial to their Treble success.
In their first conversation after Haaland signed, Khaldoon said the Norway striker claimed he would win the Champions League for the club.
“He’s got something special, confidence with respect,” Khaldoon said.
“And the scary part – this is just the beginning for him.”
Haaland, who scored 36 league goals to break the Premier League record for most goals in a season, also became the first player to win the Premier League player and young player of the year awards in the same season.
“He’s never satisfied – if it’s one goal, if it’s no goals, if it’s two goals, if it’s five goals,” Khaldoon said.
“That’s that winning mentality. That’s that winning recipe which you know is the intangible.”
Khaldoon ‘never concerned’ over Guardiola deal
Guardiola’s contract with City was due to expire at the end of the season, but in November the Spaniard signed a new contract tying him to the club until 2025 – a deal that Khaldoon was “never really concerned” about.
“It was very important because he’s such an important part of this club. He’s an incredible, incredible leader,” Khaldoon said.
“I knew where Pep’s heart was and I knew where his mind was.
“We’ve had these conversations before. But the timing was important at the time. It was always very important because it gave clarity.”
Guardiola has won 14 trophies since joining City in 2016.
“It shows you the environment that we have, which is a special environment and the environment every one of us plays a part in,” Khaldoon said.
“That’s what’s kept him this long.”
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