Mancini: Manchester City 'double contract' claim is not my concern

Roberto Mancini says an alleged "double contract" from his time as Manchester City manager is "not my concern".

The former City boss was asked about claims around his pay at a news conference before a Nations League game against Turkey. The Nations League is European football's biennial tournament for national teams. Mancini told reporters: "[Manchester City] has not been found guilty, and the alleged double contract is not my concern. It's their issue, not mine." BBC

The question goes back to reporting by Der Spiegel. The German magazine previously accused City of paying a "significant portion" of Mancini's compensation through a fictitious consultancy contract. It also alleged he was paid more as a consultant to Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira than as City manager, excluding bonuses and incentives. BBC

Those claims sit inside a much larger case. The Premier League charged City with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules in February 2023, after a four-year investigation. The 115 charges included 14 instances of failing to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18. City were referred to an independent commission, a panel set up to rule on alleged rule breaks, with a behind-closed-doors hearing starting in September 2024 and running for about 12 weeks.

Mancini is central to City's modern story. He replaced Mark Hughes as manager and spent three and a half years in charge. He won the FA Cup in 2011, then the club's first top-flight title in 44 years in 2012 with a famous late comeback on the final day. He signed a new five-year deal in July 2012 and was later sacked.

For fans, this means two stories running at once. One is football memory: Mancini, the cup and that 2012 title. The other is paperwork and process: what was declared, what was paid, and who answers for it. His answer draws a sharp line between the two.