Manuel Pellegrini believes his Premier League title with Manchester City "can't be taken away" after the club were charged over alleged breaches of financial regulations.
The league referred City to an independent commission after numerous alleged breaches that date back as far as the 2009-10 season.
Possible punishments have not been confirmed, but there has been discussion of what any sanctions might mean for titles won during the period in question.
Pellegrini, now at Real Betis, won the 2013-14 league title with City, as well as two EFL Cups, before being replaced by Pep Guardiola in 2016.
"That league can't be taken away because it's been lived – with your fans, at the ground," Pellegrini told the Guardian. "You were at Wembley, you lifted a cup.
"Could there be some legal means? I hope not, that everything gets clarified.
"But that can't be taken from you. Imagine they take the trophy away, I don't think the runner-up now feels like the champion.
"Football is the moment. You win on the pitch."
The 2014 title was City's second – after Roberto Mancini's 2011-12 team provided the first – but Pellegrini recalled his side's spending was not out of the ordinary.
He added: "The criticism is unfair. If there had been an astronomical difference, then maybe, but Chelsea were spending a fortune, Manchester United were spending a fortune, Liverpool, Arsenal.
"The work City did was very good; it's not just related to money.
"For example, they swapped Mancini for me for football reasons. And then [when I left], they said: if it's not Guardiola, it's you. You work for three years, Guardiola comes; there's continuity.
"Other big clubs invested but couldn't do that. We've seen teams come up, spend £100m, go down again."
In Pellegrini's title-winning season, City spent a reported £90million on players such as Fernandinho, Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo.
Chelsea spent more, around £110m, while Liverpool finished second despite spending less than half of both those clubs.
Pellegrini indicated the Premier League's increasing and diverse spending power has become one of its strengths, with many clubs able to splash out – unlike in LaLiga.
However, he still ranks the standard of football in Spain's top flight ahead of its English equivalent.
"City, United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, now Newcastle, could all compete for the league," Pellegrini said.
"The distribution of money is better, the amount generated. In Spain, the gap is significant.
"England is the best league, but the best football is played in Spain.
"Look at the Champions League, and Real Madrid or Barcelona are champions. In the Europa League, Villarreal and Sevilla."
Barcelona could demand Real Madrid replay if ‘phantom goal’ deemed legal
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has threatened legal action and could demand a replay after his side were denied a goal against Real Madrid at the weekend.
Lamine Yamal thought he had scored in the 28th minute of Sunday’s 3-2 LaLiga loss at the Bernabeu but, after a lengthy VAR check, it was ruled the ball had not cross the line.
The Spanish competition does not use goalline technology.
Laporta has requested footage and audio of the decision-making over this “phantom goal” incident from the Spanish Football Federation and will then consider further action.
He said in a statement on the club’s website, fcbarcelona.com: “If, once this documentation has been analysed, the club understands that an error was made in the revision of the incident, we will take all available measures to reverse the situation, without discounting, obviously, any necessary legal action.
“If it is confirmed that it was a legal goal, we will move ahead and we do not discount requesting that the game be replayed, just as has happened in another game in Europe due to a VAR error.”
Laporta was referring to a decision to replay a Belgian Pro League between Anderlecht and Genk because of a VAR error earlier this season.
Real went on to win the match 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner from Jude Bellingham and are now 11 points clear of Barca at the top of the table.
Football rumours: Five clubs in the race to sign Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise
Five clubs are in the race to sign Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise, Football Insider reports, with Arsenal and Manchester United joining Manchester City, Juventus and Chelsea. The 22-year-old has scored seven goals in 14 games for Palace this season.
The Sun says Barcelona have joined Arsenal in the fight for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak with the Spanish club hoping to strike a deal with the Magpies for a player reported to be valued at around £90million. The 24-year-old Sweden international has scored 17 goals in 24 Premier League games for Newcastle this season.
Meanwhile, the credentials of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will be assessed by new technical director Jason Wilcox as the club decides on the Dutchman’s future, according to the Telegraph, while the same outlet says former Wolvers manager Julen Lopetegui is a contender to replace David Moyes at West Ham.
Social media round-upPlayers to watchViktor Gyokeres: The 25-year-old Sporting Lisbon striker is Arsenal’s top target as the Gunners prepare to make several signings this summer, Football Transfers reports.
Wilfred Ndidi: Crystal Palace are interested in the Leicester midfielder who is available for a free transfer this summer, according to Talksport.
Daniel Farke says seven-goal thriller was ‘good advertisement’ for Championship
Leeds manager Daniel Farke believes Leeds’ 4-3 victory over Middlesbrough was a “good advertisement” for Championship football.
An end-to-end encounter at the Riverside produced five goals in just the first half, starting with the hosts taking an early lead through Isaiah Jones.
Leeds netted two goals in 11 minutes when Summerville slotted home from the spot and Patrick Bamford came back to haunt the Riverside after bundling a goal home.
Emmanuel Latte Lath drew Boro level on the 30 minute mark but Wilfried Gnonto restored the visitors’ advantage in a frenetic first 45 minutes.
Summerville bagged his second of the game after the break with a curling strike and there was late drama when Latte Lath scored a looping header in the 87th minute but Leeds held on for the three points.
Reflecting on a thrilling clash, Farke believes his players showed “great mentality” to see out victory.
He said: “First of all a good advertisement for Championship football, I think all the supporters have enjoyed the game.
“(It was) a great piece of football from two good sides who really went for it to win this game.
“To start the game with this unlucky goal, deflected pass that normally wouldn’t have been a chance, they scored out of this.
“Middlesbrough played today with freedom because it was more or less their last highlight, they could go for it and had a really good shape, then they are 1-0 up after just a few moments.
“To show such a reaction in the first half to come back to create so many chances, to score fantastic goals, was great for us to have.
“Compliments to Middlesbrough, they showed a fantastic performance, but great mentality from our players to lead 3-2 at half-time.
“We needed to show some steel and resilience in the last minutes to dig in and grind out this important result for us and we did.
“Many compliments for the heart, the mentality and the character of our players today and for their offensive quality.”
The result means Leeds climb to second in the table, overtaking Ipswich who have three games left this season compared to the Yorkshire club’s two.
Boro remain ninth in the table and boss Michael Carrick praised his side for their “incredible effort” but believes Gnonto’s goal, which appeared to be offside, was a “massive decision” in the game.
“I enjoyed the game, I thought we did a lot of good things,” he said.
“They’ve got some good quality and they’ve showed it all season. At the top end of the pitch they’re really dangerous.
“I thought we defended largely in shape really well, we were really good with the ball and dominated and controlled large parts of the game.
“I was really pleased with the boys and the effort was an incredible effort all the way to the end. We went for it, we had to go for it, we threw everything at them.
“The offside goal is a massive decision. We asked the boys to defend well and hold the line together, the line’s impeccable really and I think there’s three of them in the line around the edge of the box hold the line.
“You expect offsides given, which it was too clear not to be.”
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