Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards expressed feeling "absolutely devastated" after the Premier League confirmed the club's guilt over financial rule breaches between 2009-10 and 2017-18. An independent commission found City arranged "sham contracts" to disguise over £830m in secret funding. The club denies wrongdoing and has until 2 October to appeal.

Richards, who won the 2011-12 title with City, described the reports as "damning" and "troubling," emphasizing the emotional impact on fans and former players. City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak stated the club remains confident in proving innocence, while chief executive Ferran Soriano claimed "irrefutable evidence" was ignored. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher argued City's titles should be stripped, calling the situation "gaslighting" and affecting players' legacies.

He noted Steven Gerrard's near-title win in 2013-14 was "robbed" by City's actions.