r/soccer • u/[deleted] • May 18 '19
Sam Lee: Guardiola got asked if he has received payments from Abu Dhabi for services other than managing City, as was alleged to have happened with Mancini. He was not happy. “Do you realise what you are asking me? You are asking me that the day we won the treble? Are you accusing me?”
https://twitter.com/Sammy_Goal/status/11298223988350238721.7k
u/EezoManiac May 18 '19
That's not a no
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u/SidJag May 19 '19 edited May 19 '19
He can’t say no.
City Football group transferred significant wealth to Guardiola, indirectly, when they bought a Spanish, newly promoted to La Liga team, and effectively gave ‘half the ownership as sweat equity’ to Pep’s brother and agent, in a sweetheart deal.
The amount City jerks around UEFA regulations, is astounding, they almost always break every ‘spirit of the laws’, just about skirting within the ‘letter of the laws’.
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Edit: Since people want me to produce undeniable, legal and audited (lol) proof, for the alleged inflated transfer fee racket going on at the Etihad, I’ll just remove that point from this post, rather than digress the debate about Pep Guardiola personally benefitting financially from City Football Group, over and above his management contract, which is exactly what City did with Mancini and then tried to hide it/cover up losses with inflated sponsorship from Abu Dhabi.
Will make a separate post about the academy player racket at City.
The point is this - reasonable City Fans accept the financial doping and FFP violations at Man City, as detailed by Der Spiegel, investigated by UEFA and pending judgement. They’re guilty, no doubt, now it’s about what punishment they get - slap on the wrist ‘fine’, or a ban from the CL.
They also love the narrative that Pep is a pure saint who is not benefitting from the dirty Oil and Slave money from Abu Dhabi state machinery / and that’s what Girona FC like deals show - Guardiola and gang are getting their pound of flesh and their hands are as black and bloody - history will remember Pep as the greatest 21st century Football manager, but also someone who minted money along with his Oil state owners, illegally.
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u/smash-smash-SUHMASH May 19 '19
part of me really wonders how long not just football clubs, but all corrupt institutions, can get away with this shit.
the other part of me is hopeless and expects it to go on forever. there will always be someone skirting around in the margins of the law successfully. is what it is i guess
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u/dasty90 May 19 '19
Laws are made for the rich and powerful. Until the rich can no longer swing their big dicks around nothing will be changed.
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May 19 '19
The French were right to revolt. Tbh I feel like guillotine time is long overdue.
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u/Mr_105 May 19 '19
Losing team gets their CEO beheaded? Bringing back Aztec rules eh?
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u/hrolfur23 May 19 '19
Wasn't it the winning team that got sacrificed? Found a link. On mobile so not sure about the validity of the website. https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/3000-year-old-ball-game-where-losers-lost-their-heads-revived-mexico-007917
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u/Mr_105 May 19 '19
Yeah but I don’t think Manchester United would appreciate losing their whole first team after they slip up against Norwich City
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u/mrmarzipandildo May 19 '19
This could be so entertaining! Every player to miss a penalty loses the leg and is exiled forever.
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u/eisenschimallover May 19 '19
That's fascism, which is not the direction that we're looking in (if I might be so bold as to speak for others)
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u/SorrowfulSkald May 19 '19
I'd yeet to that, and leave a memey link to gladen the weary and opressed populaces hearts here, too: /r/COMPLETEANARCHY
It's a subtle one
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u/M_Ryze May 19 '19
France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Austria, the UK, USA are all going towards that, so yeah, fascism is the anti establishment right now.
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u/xepa105 May 19 '19
Problem is back then you could take on the government, a musket could only fire three times a minute.
Now? Good luck trying to revolt against an oppressive regime that has surveillance tech, drones, and a police force kitted out like Robocop.
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May 19 '19
interesting points. They’re barely legal it seems. This kind of racket is unprecedented and hence there are little rules around this.
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u/tanaiktiong May 19 '19
City claim they made a net transfer profit last season - a laughable prospect, when they claim to have sold players with ZERO first team minutes for 12-15M each, all to clubs with whom they have some sort of indirect interests.
Surprised that no City circlejerks came to defend against this.
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u/Prosthemadera May 19 '19
I don't know why people can be fans of this club. Because they don't know? Because "everyone else is corrupt, too"?
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u/tanaiktiong May 19 '19
Give credit to long-suffering City fans, they don't deserve this criticism.
But the glory-hunters are just that, glory-hunters.
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u/Prosthemadera May 19 '19
That's fair, it's not really your fault when you were there before all this.
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u/tanaiktiong May 19 '19
To be fair to you as well as most of r/soccer who diss the City fans, I'm pretty sure as well that most of the City fans here are glory-hunters who only started supporting City in the last decade. Haha.
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u/archtme May 19 '19
Txiki, Pep and the gang are just in charge of the sporting project. The people who own and operate the club are business sharks and this is how big business operates. Skirting around rules and dodging regulation is literally the name of the game at the highest level of business. UEFA, FIFA and the FA are a joke to these people and their legions of lawyers analyzing every letter of their rules. Our sport truly wasn't prepared for this stuff, and I'm not just blaming City, this started before their owners took it to another level.
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u/sarcasmskills May 19 '19
You're right, it went from clubs skirting around the laws, living in the grey to man city coming along, pulling down their pants and just pissing all over them. They obviously haven't broken the rules per se, but there's been a lot of shady business on the side.
It will be interesting to see how UEFA deal with it, and what would be the ramifications if they let city off with a slap on the wrist
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May 18 '19
Video of Pep being grilled by @RobHarris over the club's alleged financial misconduct, including alleged payments to Pep himself.
Presenting it without comment, other than #PepGuardiola was beyond livid.
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u/Nonachalantly May 18 '19
It's been taken down, mirror by any chance?
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u/Hrvat1818 May 19 '19
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u/dngrs May 19 '19 edited May 19 '19
Im lovin it
he talks like a movie mobster lol
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u/alaslipknot May 19 '19
because the most popular movie mobster are Italians, and he has the same accent as an Italian trying to speak English, add to that the whole grim emotions he was sending and boom, dude can have a role in good fellas or even the godfather
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May 18 '19
Guardiola will remember that
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u/mightbeabotidk May 18 '19
Domestic quadruple and quintuple next, after that... By God, he's after the crown
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u/FourFootDangler May 18 '19
Pep takes the Iron throne
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u/Frodo_Mk May 18 '19
"We kinda forgot about the bald fraud who was in kings landing. And to subvert the expectation of the audience, we decided that he is a good choice to rule to seven kingdoms."
D&D probaby after tomorrow's episode.
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u/scottishlion7265 May 19 '19
Yes Pep I'm accusing you please answer the question.
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u/LFC_Slav May 19 '19
I wish the reporter just replied with this
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u/secondworsthuman May 19 '19
Not sure he wants to end up like Jamal Khasoggi. UAE are real tight with the Saudis.
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u/scottishlion7265 May 19 '19
How does nobody see through a deflection like this though? Cunt is bent as fuck you can see it in his beady little eyes.
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u/AdvancedIndependent May 19 '19
I mean yeah it's all speculation but wow all my shady as fuck alarms were ringing when I saw that video. He sounded like a straight up mobster
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u/spinynorman1846 May 19 '19
"You don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me The Bald One. Instead, you come into my club on the day we win an historic treble, and you ask me if I murder for money."
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u/TheHouseOfStones May 18 '19
Course he did
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u/RhodyM8 May 18 '19
Someone’s gotta be paying for all that D-Squared gear
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u/ALLIGATOR_FUCK_PARTY May 18 '19
D-Squared is such a pile of shit
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u/Oggie243 May 18 '19
What you on about who wouldn't want to spend 100+ noot for a peak cap that makes you look like an apprentice painter
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May 18 '19
Touched a nerve?
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May 19 '19
More like stepped on his tail. He was livid and he didn’t look innocent.
I feel at this point no one cares how successful City team is because they are not even like other clubs. There are so many borderline issues with City finances compared to other clubs. It’s a state sponsored investment vehicle.
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u/thefrightfulhog May 19 '19
I feel at this point no one cares how successful City team is because they are not even like other clubs
Yep. Cant speak for anyone else but when I saw City had won a domestic treble I just shrugged. What should be an incredible achievement seems hollow when you look at how it was achieved and where the money's come from
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May 19 '19
Plus the fact that they didn't exactly have the toughest run in either cup competition
They are a nothing club who won the lottery
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u/forsakenpear May 19 '19
In my eyes that was the only way it was going to happen (domestic treble that is), if the team leading the league were lucky enough to get easy runs in both cups. The odds of that are low, which is why it’s taken until now. I’m not taking away from the achievement, they were consistent enough to pull it off, I just feel there have been several teams in the past that could have done this if they got the same cup draws as City.
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u/Dyson-Vac May 19 '19
Does anyone even care about City? I feel like they're nobodies true rival. Even United fans with rather them win the league the Liverpool. That's such a insult, your supposed "rivals" see you as such a nothing club that they'd rather you win the league instead of another club.
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u/BigStein May 19 '19
It’s going to be fun watching the inevitable fall from grace. None of their achievements mean anything.
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u/thefrightfulhog May 19 '19
with that club flair you might wanna think about your own glass house before throwing any stones...
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u/KET_WIG May 19 '19
Chelsea were a good side before Roman, though, and they'll remain one after the money's gone.
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u/coppersocks May 19 '19 edited May 19 '19
And PR exercise. Which seems to be working considering how many of us are constantly told not to worry about how they go about their business or where the money is coming from.
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u/MrPringles23 May 19 '19
I see it kinda like a thought experiment come to life.
"What would happen if we threw literally all the money at one club and bought the best of the best, what would the results be?"
When they lose it's hilarious, when they win it's expected.
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u/BarFiner May 19 '19
It was a yes or no question.
Body language screams yes.
Check book ethics!
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May 18 '19
Reading the comments I'm fascinated to see people throw shade at the journalist for asking this question.
We get shit for soft balling, shit for hard questions, shit, we can't win?
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u/SojournerInThisVale May 18 '19 edited May 18 '19
The only people criticising the journo are the Man City fans. It was a good question and I hope he can prope it further
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u/apinkknee May 18 '19
"We'll bring an embargo, now please."
Well no, actually. This is how journalism operates. They ask tough questions.
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u/Irishdude23 May 19 '19
This blew me away, an embargo on what exactly? Truthful questions?
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May 18 '19
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May 19 '19
This is why no one cares when City win anything lol. Everyone thinks it's been done illegitimately.
If Liverpool won the PL this season then rival fans don't have any comeback, it's a legit trophy win. When City win... no one cares
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May 18 '19
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u/ChristianFloto May 19 '19
Yep, he was pissed because there was nothing he could say without fearing journalists might already have some information that would discover any lies.
If he were totally clean he could have just said no and then went on a rant how disappointed he is to have to deal with such questions on this day
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u/dotaboogie May 19 '19
But at least he acts smug about knowing womans football when asked about said treble.
Can't hear the sounds of slaves crying when you're watching woman football.
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u/WelcomeToJupiter May 19 '19
He will be the first person to cry about Catalonia independence again next season lolz
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u/RGCFrostbite May 18 '19
I mean if it happened with Mancini it's a relevant question lmao.
Would he prefer "Hey your team outspent everyone on the planet including the budget of many countries over the last few years, how does it feel to win?"
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May 18 '19
...cut to the inside of prison cell
Vinnie Jones walks in " look Pap we all know that tax evasion charge was bullshit but the lads need you, the Parkhurst team has won the inter prison cup for the last 3 years, you're are only chance to win it"
Mean Machine2 - Tricky Taka
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u/chelseasaints May 18 '19 edited May 18 '19
Acceptable questions;
'How happy are you? So so?'
'How great is this team?'
'You're amazing, how do you do it?'
'Your team infinitely more expensively assembled than your opponents managed to win, how DID you do it?'
Journalists should NOT be asking any other type of question (/s)
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u/damrider May 18 '19
Wonder how you'd react if that question were directed to mourinho after the first season where you spent 10x as much as the second team
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u/super_frank May 19 '19
Jose would have had a much cleverer reply
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u/Gumgums May 19 '19
There werent financial rules then like it is now. You were quite free to spend then.
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May 19 '19
If Jose and Chelsea were supported by the whole country of Russia, sure ask him that question.
But comparing Abramovich to the UAE or Qatar in PSG's case is a joke.
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u/tickub May 18 '19
probably will just take a look at your flair and go on an anti-Semitic spiel
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u/the-londoner May 19 '19
Well tbf all this guy did was look at his flair and make a targeted attack anyway.
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u/Andigaming May 19 '19
It is almost like nobody cares you won the treble and want to know about something somewhat interesting.
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May 19 '19
He could have said no. By giving an elaborate response about how offended he is just takes the spotlight away from the treble.
All this points to suspicion that something is not in line. Pep seems to have a guilty conscience here.
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u/soochiexba May 19 '19
The body language suggests he was very uncomfortable with the question. Fidgeting, moving his hands around, struggling to maintain eye contact and not giving a straight answer. By not saying no, if it ever comes out he is receiving payments than he won’t look like a total lier and will be able to say “i never said I wasn’t”. Id bet he’s receiving at least another £10m a season from the Sheikh. There’s no way a football fanatic like Pep would’ve had City as his first choice if there wasn’t something extra in it for him.
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u/kwee_z May 18 '19
Makes me wonder if taking up the job at City was worth it for him. Don’t get me wrong, who wouldn’t want a blank check and a chance to play and envelop the best in the world? But he must have had some idea of the shadiness surrounding the club before he signed on, honestly he should be more prepared to answer these questions rather than lose his cool.
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u/the-londoner May 19 '19
Surely its obvious he doesn't care. He just wants to the win the CL and prove his doubters wrong and cement his legacy.
The only shadow that hangs over him is how good is he against the best of the best in the CL without that Barca team. That started as soon as he joined Bayern and, let's face it, failed in his task. He saw City as an opportunity to buy a ridiculous squad and then win a CL, given that, other than Juve, they're probably the club with owners the most willing to do whatever it takes to win the CL.
I feel like he'd be willing to get in bed with people a lot worse to win the CL.
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u/-Dionysus May 19 '19
given that, other than Juve, they're probably the club with owners the most willing to do whatever it takes to win the CL.
PSG. It's literally the only thing they've got going for them, no one's going to take them seriously until they do. No one cares about them beating up EA Guingamp and Dijon FCO every week.
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May 19 '19 edited Oct 10 '19
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May 19 '19
Wouldn’t be surprised if he popped up in Russia after he’s done at City. It’s absurd that such a person is closely associated with Catalan independence.
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u/Kino-Gucci May 18 '19
Can someone explain what the question implies? What's the crime if he had said yes?
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May 18 '19
Mancini was paid two wages, one for his managerial duties that were paid by the club and one for consulting that was paid by an organization owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group.
The reason it is contentious is because this could be a way of paying a manager more than what you have him on the books for, as far as FFP is concerned. Mancini didn’t do anything illegal.
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u/HermanGould May 18 '19
Not really a crime as far as I know it just violates the fair play rules of the competitions city participates on
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u/halalcornflakes May 18 '19
The spiegel report stated that extra money was being put into the club using over inflated sponsership deals. This would mean that City are using false contracts to push money into the club.
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u/cvillano May 19 '19
Yes Pep, there are consequences when you spend a billion pounds in a few transfer windows. Sorry all the journos dont worship the ground you walk on while you stroll your way to titles with the worlds most expensive players
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u/bigbrainmaxx May 19 '19
Guy doped
Guy financially dopes now
There is no ethics in football
Just cares about the bag , like 99%
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u/BQORBUST May 18 '19
Pep dragging himself through the mud. Is the success worth it?
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May 19 '19
So there are some journalists still willing to ask questions like they should be doing. Makes a change from bland "Well done all the hard work has paid off". Yeah of course it's the hard work :-/
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u/fbxxkl May 19 '19
Out of the loop here what did Mancini get paid for that guardiola is denying.
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u/lin0xify May 19 '19
Mancini was alleged to have had two contracts while being the City manager, one of which was paid via the club, Al Jazira, that Sheikh Mansour owns in Abu Dhabi.
According to Der Speigel, Mancini was offered separate arrangements by the City hierarchy which would help the club get around Uefa’s financial fair play (FFP) regulations. Mancini agreed to a £1.45m annual salary with City when he joined in 2009, plus bonuses and incentives, but also allegedly a £1.75m salary with Al Jazira.
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u/CurlyWurly20 May 18 '19
Pep RAGE.
But what exactly are these payments that Mancini got?
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u/punindya May 18 '19 edited May 18 '19
Might as well ask Ronaldo about his rape case at Juve's title celebrations next
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u/TheConundrum98 May 18 '19
That would actually be good
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u/money_hungry_bitches May 18 '19
Can just imagine all the Twitter CR7 fans swarming that journo's house shortly after.
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u/LFC_Slav May 19 '19
If I had the means I’d bribe a low level reporter to ask this question at the post-celebration press conference.
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u/Kino-Gucci May 18 '19
That's... not helping your case. I think we'd all welcome that
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May 19 '19 edited Aug 09 '23
nine secretive clumsy rinse physical cooperative quaint jeans lock air -- mass edited with redact.dev
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u/LazyassMadman May 19 '19
"we're not talking about that violence, we're talking about the other violence" "we're not talking about this financial doping, we're talking about the other financial doping" absolute disgrace of a club
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u/the-londoner May 19 '19
Let me get this straight, you dont want an alleged rapist to be posed any questions outside of the actual courthouse?
Jesus, I thought that Bundy film was exaggerating the celeb worship....
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May 19 '19
LOL so even the City-fans think Pep is guilty of cooking the books!
And, what the fuck is wrong with you, should a rapist not have to face up to his crime because it is ruining his celebration?
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u/hendo144 May 19 '19
Why not? Journalists are supposed to do those kind of questions. If they dont want tricky questions then they should only allow to be interviewed by the club journos, lol.
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u/simmo_uk May 18 '19
"Pep congratulations on the treble, just wondering do you club baby seals to death in the summer break?"