Cheaters tend to win, particularly when the people doing the cheating are rich and powerful. And those watching on, the press and pundits and commentators, will do their best to paper over the ugliness of it all given their self-interest demands they never be too critical of the product.
This is the reality of the world in 2026, where greed and self-interest and the grift economy extends to the highest reaches of global power. So it’s really no surprise it’s also the reality that also defines the Premier
League in 2026, where Manchester City lead the league after being found guilty of industrial scale financial doping and of then working to cover it up.
And where the press and pundits and commentators would rather keep their focus on City’s pleasing passing triangles—along with the mental fortitude shown by their players by buckling down, embracing an us against the world mentality, and winning after being found guilty of industrial scale financial doping and of then working to cover it up.
They will almost certainly keep doing that right up until the moment the undermined sporting integrity of the Premier League leads to its fall from grace, a plummeting of its standing and viewership and revenues.
Which for many in 2026 will seem rather unlikely given the Premier League’s global dominance amongst footballing brands, but then it’s worth remembering that there was a time this century Serie A were Europe’s preeminent league. And it was an undermining of sporting integrity via cheating that was central to its eventual decline.
“It’s still a little bit ongoing so I don’t think it’s smart for me to comment on it right now,” was Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk’s reaction on Sunday after sportswashers and £900M financial dopers City beat Liverpool 3-0 to keep themselves top of the table after six matchweeks.
It’s worth reiterating that despite Van Dijk’s hesitance to comment and the general desire of the press and pundit and commentator class to rock the boat as little as possible even now, City are in fact very much guilty.
Their right to appeal the independent commission’s guilty verdict does not change the fact that as of today, Manchester City have been found guilty of engaging in £900M of financial doping spanning the best part of a decade, covering it up, and deriving benefit from said financial doping.
“When the verdict comes out I will definitely have my opinion and I will probably share it as well,” Van Dijk added of a case in which the verdict has in fact come out, with Manchester City having been found guilty. “But for now I don’t think it’s a smart thing to do. I’ve been in Holland, I’ve been also with some Man City players and we spoke about it but what can you do?
“We have to wait and see. You want me to say some things I don’t want to say at this moment. I think everyone could hear the fans. Everyone can share their feelings and I don’t think Anfield will be the only place where it will be the case because fans will have their feelings, but for players I don’t think it is a good idea at this moment in time.
“Does the news change how I viewed that period? No, because I really enjoyed our rivalry and it was a great rivalry on the pitch. What happened off the pitch that is for others to find a conclusion to and then we’ll see.”
So, yeah, Manchester City have actually been found guilty. Of £900M of financial doping. And of covering it up. And they’re top of the table while the press and pundits and commentators—and players, though who can really blame when if nobody else wants to rock the boat—would rather keep the focus on pleasing passing triangles, further undermining whatever sporting integrity the league has left.
Serie A says hello, lads.
