US men’s head coach Mauricio Pochettino said Manchester City’s Premier League verdict had left supporters feeling they had “lived through a period of deception”. He questioned why financial controls had been applied so strictly to some clubs and apparently more leniently to others, arguing that any eventual punishment cannot undo the effects on past competitions.

Pochettino recalled that Tottenham, while building its stadium, went 18 months without making a transfer and still competed near the top of the league. City were found guilty of most of more than 100 alleged financial-rule breaches relating to 2009–18, after a 2018 investigation prompted charges in 2023; the club has denied the allegations. City are expected to appeal, while Pochettino said choosing a remedy such as a fine or points deduction would be difficult, given the damage already done.