Arteta shocked by City’s UEFA punishment | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta admits he was ‘shocked’ by Manchester City’s two-year Champions League ban because he just wants the best for them.

Manchester City, to the surprise of no-one, were handed a ban from the Champions League for two years. What will surprise everyone, however, is if they have to actuallly serve it.

Until then, we have to pretend like it’s a real ban and they won’t have it overturned or significantly reduced upon appeal.

Spending three years alongside Pep Guardiola at City, Arteta was asked about the ban:

“I was shocked, and being in contact with Pep and the people at the club that I know, I feel for them because I know they are suffering,” Arteta said after Arsenal’s win over Newcastle on Sunday.

“I just want the best for Manchester City, because that is the way I feel. I don’t think we know at the moment what can happen, and if there is any further action for other clubs. I don’t want to guess.”

City once again found themselves at the centre of a UEFA probe into their financial dealings after hacked emails were published by the German newspaper Der Speigel which claimed City falsely inflated the value of a sponsorship deal in order to mislead UEFA.

Their reaction to the leak, charges and punishment has been ‘furious’ and one could even say ‘Trumpian’ as they look to distract with fire and fury.

The Etihad outfit previously tried to have the case thrown out by the Court of Arbitration for Sport causing a delay to UEFA’s investigation.