Jose Mourinho says he ‘would rather have a laugh’ about Man City’s cheating verdict than be drawn into a serious discussion of the financial cheating scandal. 

The former Man United boss, currently in charge of Real Madrid, was asked for his view of City being judged to have broken competition rules over a nine-year period by illegally pumping in more than £900million. 

Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, the 63-year-old said: ‘Manchester City? I’d rather have a bit of a laugh about it.

‘I think that we will reach a conclusion but, being in my sixties, I will have to be lucky enough still to be here when the final verdict arrives. Now a ruling will come, then an appeal… I’ll be 80.’

Mourinho has previously said that he may still receive a winners’ medal if City are stripped of the prize.  The Portuguese led United to second behind City in the 2017-18 season.

If City’s appeal fails, debate will continue to swirl over whether the club will be stripped of their titles as severe punishments are decided.  

Jose Mourinho joked that he will be in his 80s by the time Man City’s case has concluded 

City lodged their appeal against the verdict, which found that the club had artificially inflated commercial revenues by over £830million between 2009 and 2018, last Thursday evening.

The independent commission came to their decision over three years after the Premier League first brought charges against the club, with its ten-week hearing taking place in late 2024.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters claimed in a statement released alongside the bombshell core decision that the club ‘systemically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade’ with their use of ‘sham’ contracts.

In an interview with club media on a day when chief executive Ferran Soriano is understood to have addressed players returning from the international break, manager Enzo Maresca sounded a defiant note. 

‘Personally, I’m very calm to be honest,’ he said. ‘The club has been quite clear. We trust completely the club. We understand the noise but the focus for us is just what we can control and we can control just the football side.’

Maresca added that his squad’s concentration remained on the pitch, where they will face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

‘The players are just focused on that (football),’ he said. ‘They know what we can control is the football side – they are not worried at all about different things. They know their profession and they know that the noise is there, but they don’t care too much about the noise.’

Police on Merseyside have a plan in place while some fans are planning to provide a ‘welcoming party’ to the visitors as they arrive for the 4.30pm kick-off.

Meanwhile, Haaland has urged fans to keep the faith and ‘enjoy the ride’ despite the ruling, which found them guilty of more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s rules.

Enzo Maresca (pictured arriving to training on Thursday morning) insists he is ‘very calm’ about Manchester City’s situation with the Premier League despite being found guilty

The Norwegian told Sky Sports that he believes fans will ‘have a good time’ at Anfield. ‘We have to stick together,’ he added. 

‘We have to stay with each other and we have to stay positive no matter what happens in life – we always have to have a smile. We have to stay positive, look ahead and try to win football games and then try to enjoy the situation and win the game.’

The prolific striker also called for unity within the club. ‘We have to stick together and we have to spread the love to each other,’ he said. ‘Stick together and enjoy the ride and smile.’ 

Next Wednesday, City will play their first game at the Etihad since they were found guilty and Pep Guardiola will be in attendance in a show of solidarity.

The former manager, who left the club at the end of last season, previously shared a message of support for his ex-employers, telling fans: ‘We will get through this together. I love you all.’

Guardiola will be joined at the Etihad Stadium by the City board, including chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, for the club’s first home European match since his summer departure.

READ MORE: Inside Man City HQ since guilty verdict tore their world apart: Staff abused in the street, Enzo Maresca’s defiant response, agents poring over contract clauses and what confused, nervous squad have been told ahead of trip to Anfield bearpit