Pep Guardiola has urged the Premier League to reach a decision on Manchester City's charges to allow the club to move forward.
The English champions were charged with 115 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules in February following a four-year investigation. City could face a number of punishments if the charges are proven, including expulsion from the Premier League.
City have always denied any wrongdoing and are confident they will clear their name. Yet this case could drag on for years to come, which is why Guardiola wants a prompt resolution. He believes the charges are casting a shadow over his team's achievements.
City won their fifth Premier League title in six seasons over the weekend and could complete a memorable treble this season. They face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3 and Inter Milan in the Champions League final seven days later.
Speaking ahead of his team's game against Brighton at the Amex on Wednesday, Guardiola told reporters: "What I would like is if the Premier League and judges could do something as soon as possible, so if we have done something wrong everybody will know it.
"And if we are - like we believe we are - a club that for many years has done things the right way, then people will stop talking about it. We would love it to be tomorrow - this afternoon would be better. We would love that.
What do you make of Manchester City's ongoing case? Let us know in the comments below!
"Hopefully, they are not so busy and the judges can see both sides and decide what is the best. In the end, I know fairly what we won on the pitch and we don’t have any doubts."
City are alleged to have breached the Premier League's financial rules between 2009 and 2018. The club were taken over by Sheikh Mansour, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, in September 2008 - handing them a seemingly unlimited budget.
This helped City sign some of Europe's most exciting players and establish themselves as a Champions League club. They went on to win two Premier League titles, two League Cups, the FA Cup and the Community Shield between 2011 and 2016.
Yet the Premier League's and UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules limited their ability to spend freely. FFP is designed to stop clubs from spending more than they earn through revenue streams. The Premier League have accused City of failing to provide "accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club's financial position".
UEFA handed City a two-year ban from European competitions in 2020 after they were found to have committed "serious breaches" of FFP between 2012 and 2016. This punishment was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later that year.
City will do everything they can to clear their name, which means the case could take years to conclude. If found guilty, the Premier League could hand City a fine, points deduction, strip them of previous titles or even kick them out of the division.
The unprecedented nature of this case in English football means nothing can be taken off the table just yet. As such, it's easy to see why Guardiola wants to find a speedy resolution. He added: "We accept it [the accusation] is there. If it happened, it happened.
"It was the same with UEFA and now it’s the Premier League. So let’s go, in 24 hours, sit down and let the lawyers present. Don’t wait two years. Let’s have it as soon as possible for the benefit of everyone. We want to defend our principles and if people doubt, OK, let’s do it as soon as possible, please."
Guardiola has also confirmed he will remain at City beyond the summer. His contract expires in two years' time. He added: "I will stay next season while there are 110 breaches against us. Don’t worry. But I don’t know what I’m going to feel winning or losing in the two chances we have. I have a contract and when I sign it, I want to respect the club."
