Mourinho Jokes Manchester City Verdict Could Take Until He Turns 80

José Mourinho has poked fun at the seemingly endless Manchester City financial case, joking that he may have to reach his 80s before the saga finally produces a definitive conclusion.

Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Mourinho was asked about Manchester City being found guilty following the Premier League’s investigation into more than 100 alleged financial-rule breaches.

Rather than offering a serious prediction about the eventual punishment, the Portuguese manager chose humour, reflecting on how long the case has already taken.

“Let's laugh about it a little, because we'll have an ending. But, in my 60s, I'll be lucky if I'm still alive when the final verdict is delivered.”

Mourinho then highlighted the possibility of the legal process continuing for years, adding:

“Because now the sentence will come, and after a year, there will be an appeal.”

His comments come after an independent Premier League Commission found Manchester City guilty of serious financial-rule breaches covering a nine-season period between 2009/10 and 2017/18, as well as the majority of charges relating to the club's alleged failure to cooperate with the investigation.

The case, which began with a Premier League investigation in December 2018, has already taken almost eight years to reach this stage. The Commission's findings concluded that City had systematically broken Premier League rules and had used arrangements that misrepresented their finances.

And Mourinho's prediction about another lengthy stage has already begun to materialise. Manchester City lodged an appeal against the guilty verdict on October 1, arguing that the Commission's decision contained “clear material errors of law, principle and fact.”

The appeal itself is expected to be heard by a separate three-person independent panel. Under the Premier League's current regulations, the hearing should ordinarily conclude within 12 weeks of the appeal being lodged, with a decision expected within 30 days afterwards, although the timeframe can be extended.

Even then, the saga may not be over. The Premier League still has to determine the appropriate sporting and financial sanctions, while City could potentially challenge any punishment that follows.

For Mourinho, therefore, the joke is simple: after years of investigation, a guilty verdict, an appeal and a forthcoming sanction hearing, the Manchester City saga could still have several chapters left.

And if the Portuguese manager's prediction becomes reality, he might genuinely be waiting until his 80s to see the final full stop.