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Jose Mourinho has delivered a typically entertaining response to Manchester City’s reported guilty verdict over financial breaches, joking that he could be 80 years old before the legal proceedings finally conclude.

The former Manchester United manager, whose side finished second behind City in the 2017/18 Premier League season, is the latest manager to comment on the verdict and he believes the appeals process could delay a final resolution for years.

Rather than calling for immediate punishment, Mourinho chose to make light of the lengthy legal battle that could still lie ahead.

Jose Mourinho jokes about Man City verdict and appeals

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (quotes via Fabrizio Romano), Mourinho was asked about the Manchester City case and the possibility of further legal proceedings.

The Portuguese manager suggested he was not expecting a swift conclusion.

“I’d rather have a bit of a laugh about it… Being in my 60s, I’ll have to be lucky enough still to be here when the final verdict arrives.”

Mourinho then joked that the appeals process could continue for so long that he would be considerably older by the time everything was settled.

“Now a ruling will come, then an appeal… I’ll be 80!”

The comments reflect Mourinho’s scepticism over how quickly the complicated case can reach a definitive conclusion.

? José Mourinho on Manchester City verdict: “I’d rather have a bit of a laugh about it…”.

“Being in my 60s, I’ll have to be lucky enough still to be here when the final verdict arrives”.

“Now a ruling will come, then an appeal… I’ll be 80!”, Mourinho told @CorSport. pic.twitter.com/4KeMa0SOEE

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 8, 2026

Why Manchester City case could drag on for years

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Manchester City’s financial case concerns alleged breaches of Premier League regulations over a period stretching from 2009 to 2018.

The scale and complexity of the allegations have made the proceedings one of the most significant legal disputes in English football.

Even following an initial ruling, the possibility of an appeal means the process may not necessarily be over.

Any challenge to the decision could extend the proceedings further, potentially delaying the implementation of sanctions until the relevant legal avenues have been exhausted.

That uncertainty is precisely what Mourinho appeared to be mocking with his remarks.

What punishments could Manchester City face?

The potential punishments for Manchester City have been the subject of considerable speculation.

Depending on the precise findings and applicable Premier League rules, possible sporting and financial sanctions could include substantial fines, points deductions or, in the most extreme circumstances, expulsion from the competition.

There has also been speculation about whether historical league titles could be affected, although retrospective title stripping or reassignment should not be treated as an automatic consequence of a guilty verdict.

That possibility would be particularly interesting for Mourinho, whose Manchester United side finished runners-up to Pep Guardiola’s City in 2017/18.

United accumulated 81 points that season but finished 19 behind their Manchester rivals.

For now, however, the focus remains on the legal process and any sanctions that might ultimately be confirmed.

And if Mourinho’s prediction proves accurate, football supporters could be waiting a considerable amount of time before the saga reaches its final conclusion.

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