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NAPLES, Italy — Roberto Mancini has denied any wrongdoing amid allegations of salary irregularities during his time as Manchester City manager and does not expect to be contacted by the Premier League as part of their investigation.
Last month, City were charged by the Premier League with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules relating to a period between 2009 and 2018 in addition to a failure to fully comply with inquiries since December 2018.
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The Premier League have questioned whether City provided “full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager” between 2009 and 2013, the period in which Mancini was in charge and delivered City’s first title in 44 years.
According to Der Spiegel, Mancini is said to have at one point earned £1.45 million in a basic salary and £1.75m as a consultant for a team controlled by City owner Sheikh Mansour in Abu Dhabi, which critics have argued could constitute a secret agreement to inflate his salary if not properly accounted for.
City strongly deny any wrongdoing, with an independent commission now set to examine the evidence.
Speaking ahead of Italy’s Euro 2024 qualifier against England in Naples, Mancini was asked whether he had been contacted by the Premier League as part of their investigations.
“No, I haven’t been contacted or called up by anyone and I don’t think anyone will contact me,” he replied. “I have paid my taxes, it is all above board so I don’t think anyone will be in touch.”
The Azzurri have not played in Naples for a decade and the choice of venue has stoked fears of violence given Napoli fans have been involved in a series of clashes, the latest of which came last week when Eintracht Frankfurt supporters arrived in the city for their Champions League round of 16 tie.
Around 2,500 England fans are expected here on Thursday, when alcohol will be banned in the area around Stadio Diego Armando Maradona from 7 a.m. until midnight.
Asked about the prospect of trouble, Mancini said: “I don’t work for the police force if I am quite honest.
“But it has always been the away fans that have come here and caused problems typically and we have seen that in the Champions League.
“If people come here and behave correctly there shouldn’t be many issues on that score. We have to worry about what happens on the pitch because football should be a celebration.”