Roberto Mancini seemed to admit he had “a double contract” while managing Manchester City, after the club was found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules. But Mancini, who led City to their first Premier League title in 50 years in 2011-12 and now manages Italy, also said that what could become the biggest scandal in English football history was “not a problem that concerns me.”
Among the many charges City faced was an alleged failure to provide accurate details about payments to players and managers between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. In 2018, the German magazine Der Spiegel published evidence showing that Mancini doubled his base salary of £1.45m for advising a club in Abu Dhabi.
Mancini led City to their first titles after Abu Dhabi’s ruling family bought the club in 2008, also winning the FA Cup in 2011. He was fired by City days after a shocking loss to Wigan in the 2013 FA Cup final.
Mancini was asked about his contract with City at Italy’s news conference in Turkey before a Nations League match on Monday. “It’s not a problem that concerns me,” Mancini said. “Anyhow, it’s not something new, because every four or five years this comes up. Manchester City is not guilty and the fact of having a double contract isn’t my problem but theirs, probably.”
City said on Friday that their case with the Premier League was “ongoing.” They have always denied wrongdoing, and the chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, restated that stance in a letter to fans on Saturday. “The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” he said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs regarding Roberto Mancinis comments about his double contract with Manchester City
What did Roberto Mancini mean by a double contract
He was referring to a secret agreement he signed with Manchester City in 2010 separate from his public managers contract This deal reportedly guaranteed him a large bonus if he was fired without just cause
When did Mancini say it isnt my problem
He made these comments in 2013 during a press conference after Manchester City sacked him He was responding to questions about the financial implications of his severance package
Why did he say it isnt my problem
Mancini meant that the legal and financial mess of having two contracts was an issue for Manchester Citys lawyers and executives to sort outnot him He was simply holding them to the terms they signed
What was the double contract actually about
It was a tax avoidance scheme The first contract was public and taxed normally The second was an offshore deal designed to pay Mancini via a shell company in the British Virgin Islands to reduce his tax bill
Did Mancini get in trouble for this
No Mancini was not charged with any crime The investigation focused on Manchester Citys failure to properly report the payments Mancini cooperated with authorities and was treated as a witness not a suspect
How much money was involved in the secret deal
Reports suggest the secret deal was worth around 175 million in bonuses Mancini eventually received a settlement of roughly 4 million after his sacking
Why is this called a double contract
Because there were two separate legal agreements running at the same time one for his normal salary and one for additional bonus payments They were structured differently for tax purposes
What was the benefit of having two contracts
For Mancini the benefit was higher takehome pay because less tax was deducted from the offshore payments For Manchester City it lowered their tax and National Insurance contributions
What was the common problem with this arrangement
The main problem was that it was not properly disclosed to tax authorities This led to a lengthy investigation by HM Revenue Customs and damaged Manchester Citys reputation
Can you give an example of how the double contract worked
Publicly Mancini was paid a salary through the clubs payroll
