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      Pep Guardiola threatened to QUIT as Man City manager if club lied to him about financial rule breaches

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      PEP GUARDIOLA previously claimed he would quit Man City if club chiefs ever lied to him regarding rule breaches.The Premier League champions are facing more than 100 allegations of breaches of financial rules following a four-year investigation.
      Pep Guardiola claimed last year he would quit Man City if the club lied to himCredit: AFP
      Possible punishments include a points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League.
      It comes after Uefa slapped City with a two-year ban and fined the club £25million in February 2020 for alleged financial fair play breaches.
      Five months later, that ban was overturned and the fine was cut to £9m by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
      Reflecting on the saga back in August, Guardiola backed the club by insisting he believed no rules had been broken.
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      But he was also quick to stress he would leave the Etihad if those above chose to deceive him.
      He said: “I said to our people, ‘Tell me’ about the suspicions. I looked at them and believed them 100 per cent from day one so I defended the club because of that.
      “I did say, ‘If you lie to me, the day after I am not here. I will be out and you will not be my friend any more’.
      “I like to represent a club that is doing things properly. In the end it’s not about winning the Champions League or Premier League, it’s about always doing it well, for our people and our fans.
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      “What CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport] said meant a lot. It broke all the suspicion.
      “I can not forget that nine teams in the Premier League pushed to sack Manchester City from European competitions, I know who they are.”
      Guardiola has won four Premier League titles since joining Man City in 2016.
      That was prompted following the publishing of leaked documents by German website Der Spiegel.

      He has also claimed the FA Cup and four League Cups.
      The charges relate to breaching regulations over nine seasons between 2009 and 2018.
      City won the title three times in the period covered by the investigation – in 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18 – one of which came under Guardiola.

      They have also finished top of the table three times since – in 2018-19, 2020-21 and 2021-22.
      The findings of the investigation and multiple alleged breaches have now been referred to an independent commission.
      Read More on The Sun
      The Premier League added: “The proceedings before the Commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private.
      “Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the Commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website.” More

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      Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher trolls Man City with sarcastic comment as they’re charged with financial rule breaches

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      JAMIE CARRAGHER trolled Manchester City with a sarcastic put down over their alleged financial rule breaches.Following a four-year investigation, the English champions have been charged by the Premier League on numerous counts.
      Jamie Carragher poked fun at Man City’s Premier League breachCredit: Rex
      This can’t be right, Man City bring in more commercial revenue than Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Man Utd & Liverpool 🤷‍♂️ https://t.co/OPDaMHnws1— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) February 6, 2023

      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 club’s financial position”.
      And Liverpool legend Carragher poked fun, referencing recent figure that showed City to have the highest commercial revenue in European football.
      He sarcastically tweeted: “This can’t be right, Man City bring in more commercial revenue than Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Man Utd & Liverpool.”
      At this stage, City have been charged but not found guilty.
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      But they now face point deductions, transfer bans, spending limits, relegation and even the stripping of previous titles.
      The charges relate to breaching regulations over nine seasons between 2009 and 2018, with the investigation starting way back in December 2018.
      That was prompted following the publishing of leaked documents by German website Der Spiegel – with the investigation focusing on three specific areas.
      The first alleged issue is “under-age players were pressured to sign contracts with City through monetary payments”.
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      Secondly, that Abu Dhabi sponsors “provided only a portion of their payments to the club”, with owner Sheikh Mansour stumping up the rest, in turn overstating the sponsorship income.
      Lastly, ex-boss Roberto Mancini received a “significant portion” of compensation from a “fictitious consultancy contract” when he left the club in 2013.
      It is also claimed by the Premier League in their unprecedented findings that City did not comply with Uefa regulations surrounding club licensing and financial fair play in 2013-14 and between 2014-15 and 2017-18.
      Another breach relates to Prem profit and sustainability rules in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.
      The Premier League also accused City of failing to cooperate and assist with the investigation.
      Uefa slapped City with a two-year ban and fined the club £25million in February 2020 for alleged financial fair play breaches.
      That was prompted following the publishing of leaked documents by German website Der Spiegel.

      However, just five months later, that was overturned and the final fine was cut to £9m by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
      Now the findings of the investigation and multiple alleged breaches have been referred to a commission.
      Commissions are independent of the Premier League and its member clubs, with the commission’s members appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel.
      The Premier League added: “The proceedings before the Commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the Commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website.”
      Man City have been charged by the Premier League with numerous breaches of financial rulesCredit: PA More

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      Chelsea ‘in talks with LAFC over Aubameyang transfer’ after striker is axed from Champions League squad

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      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG may be set to leave Chelsea for Los Angeles FC, reports suggest.Aubameyang has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge and was even axed from the Blues’ Champions League squad.
      Chelsea ace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be on his way to Los Angeles FCCredit: Getty
      According to Relevo, the West Londoners have entered talks with LAFC regarding a potential deal for the striker.
      The transfer window has just opened in the MLS as it runs from January 31 until April 24.
      The Gabon international returned to the Premier League only last summer and reunited with former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea.
      However, new owner Todd Boehly axed Tuchel soon after and the 33-year-old soon fell out of favour under his successor Graham Potter.
      Read More on Chelsea
      Aubameyang fell even further down the pecking order during Chelsea’s January transfer spree and has since been linked with a move away.
      According to Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan are looking to re-sign the Gabonese star in the summer.

      The same report suggested that Milan are the “best positioned club” for his signature.
      Aubameyang fuelled rumours of a move to San Siro by jetting off to Milan with his family soon after he was cut from the Champions League squad.
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      Aubameyang has only managed a mere three goals and one assist in 18 matches across all competitions this season.
      Potter has shaken things up after a busy transfer window, which saw a whopping eight new players coming in.
      The arrivals of Mykhailo Mudryk and Joao Felix has created even more competition for a place in Chelsea’s attack. More

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      Man City could be STRIPPED of Premier League titles as they’re charged with unprecedented financial rule breaches

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      MANCHESTER CITY face being stripped of THREE Premier League titles if they are found guilty of breaching financial fair play rules.Pep Guardiola’s side were today charged with more than 100 breaches related to nine seasons between 2009 to 2018 in an unprecedented move.
      Pep Guardiola’s City side face being stripped of three Prem titles as one of the potential punishments of their alleged financial fair play breachesCredit: PA
      City, currently second in the table, face possible punishments including a points deduction, transfer bans, spending limits and even expulsion from the league and stripping of previous titles.
      In the period concerned, the reigning Prem champions won three titles – in the 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18 seasons.
      It is not known what would happen to those titles, and whether they would be awarded to the runners-up, if City face the toughest possible sanction.
      If the league title is simply handed to the second placed side, Man Utd could pick up two more titles – from the 2011-12 and the 2017-18 seasons. Liverpool finished second in 2013-14 and could stand to be awarded that trophy.
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      However, it is also possible if City are stripped that the titles will go unassigned.
      In the last case of a major team being expelled from a league, Italian giants Juventus were booted from Serie A over the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.
      They won both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 titles but were downgraded to last place in the latter season and relegated to Serie B.
      Inter Milan were awarded the 2005-06 title, but the previous season’s trophy remains unassigned.
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      It is not known what punishment City will face, if any, but the findings do not make good reading for the Etihad club.
      Although they currently have only been charged and not found guilty, the investigation into the club’s dealings has lasted for four years.
      That was prompted following the publishing of leaked documents by German website Der Spiegel – with the investigation focusing on three specific areas.
      That was prompted following the publishing of leaked documents by German website Der Spiegel.

      The first alleged issue is “under-age players were pressured to sign contracts with City through monetary payments”.
      Secondly, that Abu Dhabi sponsors “provided only a portion of their payments to the club”, with owner Sheikh Mansour stumping up the rest, in turn overstating the sponsorship income.
      Lastly, ex-boss Roberto Mancini received a “significant portion” of compensation from a “fictitious consultancy contract” when he left the club in 2013.
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      Uefa slapped City with a two-year ban and fined the club £25million for alleged financial fair play breaches.
      However, in 2020, that was overturned and the final fine cut to £9m by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
      Now the findings of the investigation and multiple alleged breaches have been referred to a commission.
      It is also claimed by the Premier League that City did not comply with Uefa regulations surrounding club licensing and financial fair play in 2013-14 and between 2014-15 and 2017-18.
      Another breach relates to Prem profit and sustainability rules in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.
      Read More on The Sun
      The Premier League also accused City of failing to cooperate and assist with the investigation.
      As the club did in 2020 with the Uefa appeal, the Etihad side will likely establish a significant legal team of expert lawyers to fight their case.
      The 2017-18 title is the last one City one in the period concernedCredit: Reuters More

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      Ex-Chelsea star Christian Atsu ‘trapped under rubble as huge search and rescue operation starts after Turkey earthquake’

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      FORMER Chelsea and Newcastle winger Christian Atsu is reportedly trapped under rubble after the massive earthquake in Turkey.Rescuers are desperately trying to find find the Ghana star after he was caught up in the 7.8 magnitude quake on Monday, local media reports.
      Former Chelsea and Newcastle winger Christian Atsu is trapped under rubble in TurkeyCredit: Getty
      Several of Atsu’s Hatayspor teammates have been rescued but the ace is still missingCredit: Instagram
      The 31-year-old ex-Blue Atsu plays for Hatayspor, who he joined last summer.
      Several members of his new team had to be rescued in their homes after the earthquake struck at 4am local time, reports Turkish paper Star.
      But Atsu and Hatayspor’s sporting director Taner Savut remain missing under rubble at their respective homes.
      The earthquake hit hard in Kahramanmaras, where Hatayspor are based.
      READ MORE ON EARTHQUAKE
      Two players and members of the technical staff were “pulled out of the rubble” in several dramatic rescue operations.
      And efforts remain ongoing to find ex-Everton loanee Atsu and Savut as quickly as possible.
      A clip of Atsu scoring a spectacular 97th minute freekick winner just last night was widely circulated on social media, along with messages praying for him to be found.
      He isn’t the only footballer missing, with Yeni Malatyaspor goalie Ahmet Eyup also trapped.
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      The club’s technical Director Volkan Demirel issued an appeal for help on his social media account.
      ““Things are very bad here. Help, we can’t reach people. Whoever can come, come now. We can’t reach anyone.”
      Experts reckon the death toll could rise to 10,000Credit: Getty
      Atsu never made a senior Chelsea appearance but played for Newcastle 86 timesCredit: Reuters
      Over 1,000 people are believed to have died in the earthquake that struck Turkey around 4am on Monday morning.
      The city of Kahramanmara was lit up by flames after a gas pipeline exploded after being ruptured by the earthquake.
      And experts say the toll could rise to 10,000 after a second 7.5 magnitude quake hit later on.
      Neighbouring Syria was also hit badly, with the tremor felt in Egypt and Cyprus too.
      Just yesterday Atsu struck a 97th minute for Hatayspor against Kasimpasa.
      And fans are praying the winger is found safe and secure.
      One said: “How the world was happy when he scored a goal yesterday, this is how the world appreciates your loved ones, friends.”
      Another declared: “The man scored a goal yesterday, he was happy like crazy, now it comes to my mind, I’m crying.”
      One added: “God help them.”
      Atsu joined Chelsea from Porto for £3.5million in 2013 but didn’t make a single appearance for the Premier League giants.
      He took in loans at Vitesse, Everton, Bournemouth, Malaga and Newcastle.
      And the Magpies made his deal permanent in 2017 after Atsu played a key role in their promotion from the Championship.
      The ace ended up making 86 appearances for Newcastle before joining Al-Raed in 2021.
      Read More on The Sun
      Atsu moved to Hatayspor last summer and has one goal in four games for the Turks. More

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      Why Gabriel was not given penalty against Everton after Arsenal star was tripped in box

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      AN EXPLANATION has been given as to why Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes did not get a penalty despite being tripped in the box by Everton’s Neal Maupay.The Gunners were defeated 1-0 by the Toffees on Saturday in what looked to be a bitter blow to their title hopes.
      Neal Maupay and Gabriel were in the thick of it as Arsenal lost at EvertonCredit: Getty
      Gabriel wanted a penalty after being tripped by Neal MaupayCredit: BT Sport
      However, they received a huge favour from North London rivals Tottenham as Harry Kane’s record-breaking goal was enough to beat Manchester City 24 hours later.
      That kept them five points clear at the top of the Premier League table – but some Gooners believe they should have had the opportunity to at least earn a draw ay Goodison.
      Just moments after James Tarkowski had headed Everton ahead, Arsenal were claiming a penalty.
      Gabriel appeared to have been tripped by Blues ace Maupay, which sent the Brazilian clattering into Idrissa Gueye.
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      The referee awarded Everton a free-kick, leading to even more protests from the visitors.
      VAR was called upon to check the incident, but they ultimately decided against awarding Arsenal a spot-kick.
      And former Prem ref Peter Walton would later explain the reason behind the decision on BT Sport.
      He said: “Well actually the initiation of contact was from the Arsenal player so I don’t think this will be given as a penalty kick, certainly there was enough contact there, but not a penalty kick.”
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      He seemed to have the view that Gabriel had initiated contact with Maupay – although Gooners certainly do not have the same view.
      Following the game, Arteta insisted on praising his players rather than tearing into them, saying: “Today I love them much better than the week before or a month ago, it is easy to be next to someone when they are winning well.
      “I am still so proud of all of these players, they deserve it. This is not going to be a rose pathway.
      “This is going to be tricky and we will have to dig in and play much better than we did today.” More

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      Incredible fall from grace of the 2021/22 PFA Team of the Year with not a single player set to make XI this season

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      AT the halfway stage of the campaign it looks unlikely that a SINGLE player from last season’s PFA Team of the Year will retain their place.That’s partly because some are no longer playing in the Premier League but also due to the success stories of Arsenal and Newcastle.

      On the flip side, last season’s top two, Manchester City and Liverpool, have struggled to hit the heights of previous years.
      Only ever once in Premier League history has the entire team changed from one season to another and that came back in 2010-2011.
      Here, we’ve looked at the team from last term and how far they’ve fallen…
      Alisson Becker
      Alisson Becker has kept just five clean sheets in the Premier LeagueCredit: Alamy
      Alisson is still widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, but his form has been questionable.
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      He’s made some costly errors, notably against Wolves in the FA Cup and has only kept five clean sheets in 20 games.
      That’s one fewer than Danny Ward, who was constantly mocked for his woeful start to the campaign.
      Trent Alexander-Arnold
      The England star has set the standards for full-backs in recent years but for much of this season, he’s looked ordinary at best.
      And nothing highlights his dip in form more than his attacking numbers.
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      Alexander-Arnold has registered just one goal and one assist, which is incredibly underwhelming considering he’s chipped in with at least nine goal contributions in each of the last four seasons.
      Antonio Rudiger
      Rudiger definitely won’t be keeping his place, although that’s because he’s no longer playing in England.
      Following the expiration of his Chelsea contract last summer, the Germany international joined Real Madrid on a free transfer.
      Virgil van Dijk
      Van Dijk has been arguably the standout centre-back in the Premier League for the last five years.
      But his level of performance has dipped quite dramatically and he hasn’t really recovered from his poor display against Fulham on the opening day.
      Joao Cancelo
      Joao Cancelo joined Bayern Munich on loan in JanuaryCredit: Getty
      With one goal, seven assists and many exquisite passes, many viewed Cancelo as the best full-back in the world.
      But the turn of events over the last few months have been a shock to say the least.
      The Portugal star lost his place after the World Cup, which led to him sealing a loan move to Bayern Munich late in January.
      Bernardo Silva
      Bernardo enjoyed a fine start to the campaign, registering two goal and four assists in his first eight outings.
      But like many of his City team-mates, he’s since struggled for consistency and has provided just ONE goal contribution in the last four months.
      Thiago Alcantara
      Thiago has missed a large chunk of the season through injury but even when he has been fit, he’s been a shadow of his former self.
      Generally, Liverpool have been below-par, but Thiago’s form has been a major part of their downfall.
      Kevin De Bruyne
      Kevin De Bruyne has had a mixed season for Manchester CityCredit: Getty
      Despite being dropped twice in recent weeks, De Bruyne is probably the only man on this list in with a chance of keeping his place in this team.
      He’s still been directly involved in 15 goal involvements in 20 games and tops the assist charts by some distance with his partnership with Erling Haaland a big reason for that.
      But the midfielder hasn’t hit top form for some time.
      Sadio Mane
      Mane is no longer playing in the Premier League after he joined Bayern Munich on a free transfer last summer.
      And with Liverpool enduring their worst season for years, it wouldn’t be outrageous to suggest that his departure has led to their downfall.
      Cristiano Ronaldo
      Cristiano Ronaldo saw his Manchester United ripped up and then joined Al-NassrCredit: Getty
      No one could have possibly predicted what has ended up happening with Ronaldo.
      Having tried to force a move away from Manchester United last summer, he then gave an explosive interview to Piers Morgan, which led to him having his contract termianted.
      And as we know he then made the shock move to Saudi Arabia to sign for Al-Nassr.
      Read More on The Sun
      Mohamed Salah
      Salah has still racked up 17 goals and seven assists in all competitions, but he’s generally been extremely below his usual standards.
      In the Premier League, the forward has scored just seven goals and only five since August. More

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      Piers Morgan demands Man City are docked points as Arsenal fans eye early Premier League title celebrations

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      ARSENAL fan Piers Morgan has called for Man City to be hit with a points deduction following more than 100 alleged breaches of financial rules.Pep Guardiola’s men could be handed one of several punishments for the alleged breaches.
      Piers Morgan has called on Man City to be deducted pointsCredit: The Mega Agency
      Man City face the possibility of serious punishmentCredit: Rex
      That includes expulsion from the Premier League.
      And Morgan, whose Arsenal side are attempting to fend off champions Man City in this season’s title race, has pleaded for a points deduction to be handed out.
      In response to the original report, he tweeted: “Outrageous. Immediate points deduction!”
      Man City currently trail Arsenal by five points in the Premier League title race.
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      Both sides lost over the weekend, with Guardiola’s outfit unable to capitalise on the Gunners’ 1-0 defeat to Everton as they lost 1-0 to Spurs on Sunday.
      But Man City’s expulsion from the league or a substantial points deduction would leave Arsenal 11 points clear of Man Utd with a game in hand – providing points accumulated against City were taken away.
      Reacting on social media, one person said: “Nine years worth of violations and they’re only being charged now? Just in time to hand Arsenal their first league title in 20 years 🤣”.
      While another added: “City to get a points deduction and Arsenal to win the league? I would love it”.
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      The investigation into the club’s dealings has lasted for four years.
      And now the Premier League have published their findings – and it does not make good reading for the Etihad club.
      The charges relate to breaching regulations over nine seasons, with the investigation starting way back in December 2018.
      That was prompted following the publishing of leaked documents by German website Der Spiegel.

      The first alleged issue is “under-age players were pressured to sign contracts with City through monetary payments”.
      Secondly, that Abu Dhabi sponsors “provided only a portion of their payments to the club”, with owner Sheikh Mansour stumping up the rest, in turn overstating the sponsorship income.
      Lastly, ex-boss Roberto Mancini received a “significant portion” of compensation from a “fictitious consultancy contract” when he left the club in 2013.
      Uefa slapped City with a two-year ban and fined the club £25million for alleged financial fair play breaches.
      However, in 2020, that was overturned and the final fine cut to £9m by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
      Read More on The Sun
      Now the findings of the investigation and multiple alleged breaches have been referred to a commission.
      It is also claimed by the Premier League that City did not comply with Uefa regulations surrounding club licensing and financial fair play.
      Arsenal lead the title race by five points despite defeat at the weekendCredit: EPA More