Manchester City’s manager, Enzo Maresca, posted a cryptic message on social media reading “I know nothing” after the club was found guilty on virtually all counts of breaching Premier League financial rules. News broke on Friday that City had been found guilty on almost all of more than 100 charges laid by the Premier League in February 2023, prompting reactions from figures associated with the club. City have always denied all counts and are expected to appeal.
Oasis’ Noel Gallagher, a longtime City fan, has described his shock at the news, while the club’s former chair David Bernstein believes “money is not sufficient” in terms of a potential punishment. The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, described the case as unsettling for football fans and is hopeful of a swift resolution. On Saturday morning, Maresca was approached for comment about whether he is seeking reassurance from the club on their continued stance of innocence.
The Guardian was sent by his representatives a screenshot of a quote by Socrates, the Greek philosopher, which Maresca posted on Instagram. The quote reads: “The only thing I know is that I know nothing.” Maresca also wrote: “Time to breathe. Time to learn.” On the Let Me Talk podcast, Gallagher said: “A little surprised when I heard it on the radio.
Surprised because the club have assured us all along that they vehemently denied any of these charges. But really just quite sad. Sad for the fans and for the players.” Asked if it changes the context of moments like Sergio Agüero’s title-winning goal in 2012, Gallagher said: “Our focus as fans is always on the pitch and we know what we saw.
The players won that game and won that title on the pitch. Whether some of those players should have been there or not, that’s nothing to do with the fans. I suppose in the eyes of everybody else in England it would, but I know what I saw and I know what I felt.” Bernstein, City’s chair from 1998-2003, told Times Radio: “I felt absolutely awful, I felt in shock yesterday.
You’ve asked me on the programme because of my time as chair of City and the FA, but basically I’m a fan of Manchester City and have been a fan for 70 years. But to see all this tarnished in this way is very sad. It’s a pretty bad day for the fans in blue of Manchester.” As for the correct punishment, Bernstein said: “First of all, the timing is crucial.
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