Back in 2020, Jose Mourinho said it was going to be "the end" of Financial Fair Play after Manchester City's two-year ban from the Champions League for breaking FFP rules was overturned.
The Premier League has charged City with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules following a four-year investigation, with the alleged allegations taking place from 2009 up to 2018.
If the defending Premier League champions are found guilty of such wrongdoings then they could face sanctions, including losing multiple league titles and a points deduction.
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Other possible sanctions range from suspension from competing in league matches to potential expulsion from England's top flight.
Since the news emerged on Monday morning, the reaction to City being charged with alleged financial rule-breaking has been huge.
And now, Jose Mourinho's press conference from 2020, when he said the decision to overturn City's Champions League ban was a "disgrace" and "the end of FFP", has gone viral again.
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Speaking to talkSPORT in a press conference, he said: "I think it’s going to be the end of the Financial Fair Play, because there is no point.
“If City are not guilty, the decision is a disgrace. If City are guilty, the decision is also a disgrace. It’s a disgraceful decision because if City are not guilty of it then you are not punished with £10m.
“If you’re not guilty you shouldn’t have a fine. If they are guilty the decision is also a disgrace and you should be banned from the competition.
“I don’t know if Manchester City are guilty or not, but either way it’s a disgraceful decision.”
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READ MORE:
- The possible sanctions Man City could face include EXPULSION from the league and stripping of titles
- Pep Guardiola’s FFP remarks resurface after Man City allegedly broke Premier League financial rules
- Jurgen Klopp’s most cutting Man City comment resurfaces after alleged Premier League financial rule breaches
When asked if he feels FFP is needed, Mourinho added: “I would like to see Financial Fair Play in the proper way.
“I would like to see City considered not guilty and not pay one single pound, or to be considered guilty and to be banned.
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“But, in this moment we are speaking about Man City, where in the past other clubs have been in a similar situation and you know the results of it.
“So I think it’s better to open the circus door and let everybody enjoy and go inside for free, do it all with freedom.”
This isn't the first time Mourinho has commented on City's spending power.
Back in 2017, before he guided Manchester United to a second-place finish in the 2017/18 Premier League season, he bemoaned that the Reds couldn't compete with City when it came to spending big money on players.
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Speaking to United's official website, Mourinho said: "You think the club can put here now £600 million and let's buy six players of £100 million? The club cannot do that. I cannot expect the club to do that, so i's not critical and you can see how the market is, especially with the top teams.
"But, you know, without taking any credit away from Manchester City and Pep [Guardiola], and his staff, and the players, they obviously have lots of credit in what they are doing."
Citing the goalkeeper situation as an example, before reeling off numerous other City signings, Mourinho added: "But Pep arrives, he has the goalkeeper of England [Joe Hart], he doesn't like him so he buys the goalkeeper of Barcelona [Claudio Bravo]. He doesn't like him so he buys another one [Ederson]."
He continued: "You think the club can put here now £600 million and let's buy six players of £100 million? The club cannot do that.
"Can we buy six or seven players at the same time? Can we invest £600-700 million? No. So, it's difficult.
"I think the last years, the market is going in such a direction or you belong to one of these clubs where there is no limit and you just buy what you want and there is no limit, there is no financial fair play, there is nothing, you do what you want - or it's hard."
Topics: Jose Mourinho, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Premier League
Jack Kenmare