Rodri, who departed Manchester City for Barcelona in August 2026 after making 298 appearances for the club between 2018 and 2026, has publicly expressed his belief in the organisation's integrity following a landmark Premier League ruling.
An independent commission determined in September 2026 that Manchester City had breached 114 of the 115 financial regulations they faced, concluding an investigation spanning alleged misconduct from 2009 to 2018. The club intends to challenge the verdict, with reports indicating they have 14 days from the decision to lodge an appeal before a separate panel reviews their case.
Speaking ahead of Spain's UEFA Nations League fixture against England at Wembley, the 30-year-old midfielder defended City's position and reaffirmed his confidence in the club's claims of wrongdoing.
They always express the confidence that they never did something wrong and we believe in that. Until the moment they are proved wrong, we will believe the club. They always tell us the confidence they have on the innocence.
Rodri was among the first individuals connected with City to speak publicly after the verdict, offering a defiant response to the ruling.
How does City's past legal history inform current confidence?
City's players draw reassurance from a precedent set in 2020, when the club successfully overturned separate UEFA financial fair play sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. UEFA had initially imposed a two-year ban from European competitions before that decision was reversed.
Rodri cited this earlier case as evidence supporting the club's current stance on the charges.
We had the example of 2020 that the process was the same and at the end nothing happened. We have faced something similar, we had a similar judicial process. Different accusation but similar process. There as well in the first instance we were found guilty, but we believed in the club and the innocence that the club maintained and in the end we ended up acquitted. So, I believe in the justice system, and I believe in the innocence of the club.
According to reports on the appeal process, City's legal team is preparing to challenge the independent panel's findings through the formal appeals mechanism.
What achievements are at stake?
Manchester City secured eight trophies during the period covered by the Premier League investigation, comprising three league titles, three League Cups, one Community Shield and one FA Cup. Speculation has surrounded whether the club could face sanctions including title stripping, though Rodri dismissed such possibilities.
What we did, they cannot take out of us. It's something that is not paid by money. It's paid with effort, with the damage, with, you know, being shoulder to shoulder every day. I can tell you that everything was deserved, and I'm glad that I could live one of the best eras of English football in here.
According to detailed reporting on the verdict, the independent panel found City guilty on 114 of the 115 charges, with the specific nature of potential sanctions still to be determined in a separate phase of proceedings.
What is the political response?
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has urged caution in drawing conclusions from the independent commission's findings. Speaking to ITV Granada, Burnham emphasised the complexity of the case and the need for careful examination before forming judgements.
I would have to look at the report of the independent commission, and people shouldn't jump to those kinds of conclusions. I know this has been a long process between the club and the Premier League. I think it has been quite a contested process. So I don't think it's as simple as jumping to conclusions. I think we would all need to study the independent commission's report in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions.
Burnham acknowledged the lengthy and contested nature of the proceedings between City and the Premier League.
What happens next?
Manchester City has 14 days from the September 2026 verdict to lodge a formal appeal, after which a separate commission will review the club's challenge to the independent panel's decision. The sanctions phase remains pending, with the specific punishments—if any—to be determined following the appeals process. According to coverage of the ruling, the case originated from charges brought by the Premier League in February 2023 over alleged financial-rule breaches spanning the nine-year period from 2009 to 2018.
