Robertson: Manchester City players 'not to blame' after guilty verdict
Andy Robertson said Manchester City’s players were "not to blame" for the club’s actions after the team was found guilty of multiple breaches of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules, speaking in Ljubljana on 25 September 2026 as he flew from a training camp in Spain to Slovenia with the Scotland squad. The Premier League is likely to penalise City heavily and the club intend to appeal against a guilty verdict.
City have been found guilty of multiple breaches of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules, a decision that has prompted discussion about retrospective punishments. Liverpool finished second to City in 2019 and 2022, and retrospective trophy removal has been cited as a potential punishment. It is understood the club intend to appeal against a guilty verdict.
Robertson was en route from a training camp in Spain to Slovenia with the Scotland squad when news of the upcoming verdict emerged, and he was taken aback when the matter was put to him in Ljubljana. He is the Scotland captain. Robertson said he was focusing on the players themselves rather than the off-field issues.
"For me, the players showed they were good enough on the pitch," said the 32-year-old. "I don’t know too much about the charges and stuff like that. But they had an incredible team, one that I loved battling against. I don’t think when it comes to these things that players are ever to blame. That’s all I can focus on".
Robertson is a former Liverpool defender who was at Anfield for nine years from 2017 and regularly jousted with City during that period. He is now at Tottenham. His comments followed reaction from figures around Liverpool and the wider game.
Robertson’s former Liverpool manager is Jürgen Klopp. Klopp said he would throw a party if City had silverware removed.
Robertson will win his 98th cap and move within four of the record held by Kenny Dalglish. That appearance will come when Scotland face Slovenia in the Nations League on Saturday.
