Former Chelsea goalkeeper and technical advisor Petr Czech has issued a scathing statement regarding the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding Manchester City. The Blues legend openly highlighted the political hypocrisy within English football's governing bodies and the striking disparity in how different Premier League owners are treated.
Czech emphasised that the current crisis has long transcended mere sporting concerns, exposing the selectivity within the English football system:
“It’s no longer just about one football club. It's about who is protected and who isn’t. American owners, Russian owners, Arab owners. Are they treated the same? No.
When Roman was forced to part ways with Chelsea, the FA claimed that the integrity of football mattered more than any foreign national’s interests. Now that rhetoric has changed, and it’s now all about connections and interests.”
His frustration was particularly aimed at recent political remarks made by Manchester’s Mayor, Andy Burnham, who publicly defended the Citizens:
“What we have here is a City fan’s opinion masquerading as a fair judgement from Andy Burnham. That’s not his job. Sport has its own ministry – let them sort it out. When a political body dictates to sport what the verdict should be, that’s not neutral and it’s far from trivial.”
The hidden message is clear: “Don’t pressure this club. Don’t talk about a sale. We want these owners to stay.” This isn’t just unfair; it’s incredibly dangerous.
You either don’t want to lose a partner, or you intend to bend sporting competition to your own goals. I don’t know which is true. But one thing’s for sure: money has become the main topic.”
The Chelsea veteran drew a direct line between Roman Abramovich’s forced sale of Chelsea in 2022 and the ongoing years-long investigations into 115 financial accusations levied against Manchester City:
The Russian owner was compelled to sell the club and leave, even though he faced no charges from the FA and no breaches of Premier League financial sustainability rules. Meanwhile, City sits under 115 accusations. They are being coddled, appeals are being made on their behalf, and there are those defending them. Burnham’s support for the club is disappointing.
Roman poured billions into Chelsea and turned it into a European giant, but he was shown the door. City, however, has dismantled healthy competition. A person is deemed guilty yet continues to claim innocence simply because the paperwork wasn’t perfectly done. That’s the crux of this investigation.
In conclusion, the legendary goalkeeper urged for uniform football laws to be applied regardless of political and financial influences:
The rules that are meant to protect every participating club should apply when there’s a violator. Otherwise, certain clubs receive privileges, which, in my opinion, is unfair. The delay in the process, endless appeals, and politicians’ comments are all glaringly evident right now. To me, City has been dishonest, and the final verdict will reveal whether there are rules for everyone in this game, or if it’s only the influential friends who matter.”
