Man City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak Insists Rivals Clubs are 'Jealous' & Hits Back at Criticism

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has insisted that rival clubs are 'jealous' of the Citizens and their success, having become the first team to

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has insisted that rival clubs are 'jealous' of the Citizens and their success, having become the first team to retain the Premier League in a decade and the first ever English side to complete a domestic treble.

But while enjoying such success on the pitch in recent seasons, City have been heavily criticised after enormous investment in the team, while they await a verdict on a UEFA Financial Fair Play investigation over which investigators have requested a one-year Champions League ban.

The FA are also digging around over accusation of an alleged illegal payment relating to the signing of Jadon Sancho in 2015, while FIFA are investigating certain under-18 transfers.

On top of that, outspoken La Liga chief Javier Tebas just last week claimed that City and Paris Saint-Germain should be kicked out European competition for FFP violations and accused both clubs of distorting the transfer market and being 'the plaything of a state'.

Insisting that City are a 'well run club', Mubarak highlighted that City haven't set new highs for transfers like other teams - Riyad Mahrez is the club's record signing at £60m.

"With success, there is a certain level of jealousy, envy, whatever you call it. That's part of the game," the chairman is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

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"It's not easy for our competition, we know that. But the reality is, we didn't buy the most expensive player in the Premier League [Paul Pogba], we didn't buy the most expensive goalkeeper [Kepa Arrizabalaga], we didn't buy the most expensive midfielder [Pogba again], we didn't buy the most expensive striker [Romelu Lukaku]," he explained.

In response to the comments from Tebas, Mubarak added, "He talks about how we distorted the market. There is a hypocrisy in this statement that is ironic. These huge jumps in these transfers - Figo, Zidane - where did they happen?

"I have no time for innuendo. Mr Tebas should look back at the history of La Liga, a league dominated by two clubs, and how distortion has happened. Manchester City has not a single player in the top 10 transfers."