Manuel Akanji admits Manchester City title concern after guilty verdict

Former Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has admitted he hopes he will not lose the trophies he won at the club following the Premier League's guilty verdict against City.

Akanji, who now plays for Inter Milan, won two Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City are appealing the decision after being found guilty of the 115 charges brought against them, with attention now turning towards what sanctions could eventually follow.

While Akanji was not at City during the period at the centre of the case, the Switzerland international admits he is watching developments with interest.

Speaking to Nau, Akanji said he remains in contact with some of his former Manchester City teammates but has no additional information about the case.

“I’m still in touch with a few players, but I don’t know any more than you do,” Akanji said.

“We were told to stay calm, that they had everything under control and nothing major had happened. I trust the people in charge at Man City that that’s the case.

“I hope I don’t lose my titles. That would be a bit of a shame. But I’m only seeing it all in the news, too.”

The defender's comments underline the uncertainty surrounding the potential consequences while City's appeal remains ongoing.

Akanji did not join Manchester City until 2022, while the charges relate to an earlier period.

That distinction means the trophies he personally won at City came after the years at the centre of the Premier League's case.

However, discussion around possible sanctions has included calls from some observers for trophies to be removed, creating questions about how any eventual punishment could affect City's historical record.

When it was put to Akanji that the timing should mean his own honours are not in danger, he remained cautious.

“Who knows what else they might dig up,” he said.

“After all, you’re still looking for things related to the coronavirus that happened five years ago.”

The latter comment appeared to reference recent coverage in Switzerland surrounding international teammate Granit Xhaka, who missed the current international period after admitting he had obtained a false Covid vaccination certificate.

The key issue for Akanji and other former City players is what happens during the appeal process.

The guilty verdict does not itself establish that Akanji's trophies will be removed, and the defender acknowledged that he is following developments through the media rather than speaking from inside knowledge.

His comments are therefore a reflection of his personal concern rather than an indication that title-stripping has been decided.

For now, Akanji's Premier League and Champions League honours remain part of his record while Manchester City continue to challenge the ruling.

Manchester City's appeal will be crucial in determining what consequences ultimately follow the Premier League's verdict. Until that process develops and any sanctions are formally established, speculation over whether historical honours could be affected remains unresolved.