Manchester City’s dominance was shadowed by scrutiny and financial allegations
A clip of Sky News reporter Rob Harris questioning Manchester City executive Ferran Soriano about the Premier League’s allegations of financial rule-breaking has renewed attention on the club’s past. The article argues that the exchange highlights why persistent scrutiny matters, recalling that Harris asked Pep Guardiola in 2019 whether he had received a second salary after reports about former manager Roberto Mancini; Guardiola reacted angrily and City’s press officer stopped the question.
The author says City’s success at the time helped drown out criticism, and that some observers dismissed the 2019 question because the club had just won a domestic treble. The article credits media scrutiny and the work of hacker Rui Pinto with bringing information to light, and praises journalists including Harris and Nick Harris of Sporting Intelligence for continuing to pursue the story. It frames the episode as both a major football controversy and a reminder of the role of questioning those in power.
- A reporter’s questions about City’s finances have resurfaced.
- Guardiola shut down a similar question in 2019.
- The article argues that persistent scrutiny matters.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Building of the Pep supremacy is an era that will be defined by sham-ball”.