Mourinho Jokes About Manchester City Legal Battle; Club Appeals Verdict

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, who once coached Manchester United, lightened the mood around Manchester City’s ongoing legal saga by joking that he may not live to see the final verdict. City were found guilty by an independent commission of all charges for breaching Premier League financial rules between 2009‑10 and 2017‑18, and of three of four charges for failing to cooperate with the investigation. The club used “sham” commercial deals to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than £900 million, leading to inaccurate financial reporting and spending breaches. City denied wrongdoing and has lodged an appeal, which will be heard privately. No sanctions have been imposed yet, and it is unclear whether any punishment would take effect before the appeal. City remain top of the Premier League, 15 points from five matches, and are set to face Liverpool on Sunday.