Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini has rejected the criticism aimed at former club Manchester City's spending.
When it first emerged that City were being accused of breaching Premier League rules from 2009 to 2018 it was even suggested the club could be stripped of titles.
"That league can't be taken away because it's already been lived," says Pellegrini, who won the Premier League with City in 2014. "Imagine they take the trophy away the runner-up is not now going to feel like the champion. Football is the moment. You win it with your people out there on the pitch."
The idea that City won it on the pitch but with an advantage gained unfairly by the owners is also given short shrift.
"The criticism of City has always been very unjust. If there had been an astronomical difference between clubs then maybe, but Chelsea were spending a fortune, Manchester United were spending a fortune, Liverpool were spending a fortune, Arsenal were spending a fortune.
"It's not the case that one club wanted a player for 100m and City came along and paid 200m. That didn't really happen."
And what's wrong with investment anyway? That's his argument when asked about the possibility that Thursday night's rivals Manchester United could soon be in the hands of owners not dissimilar to City's.
"It's like any economic activity: the more money there is, the better it is. Of course you need some sort of control but the more investment there is from both home and abroad the more attractive the league.
"In England every team can sign important players and that makes the league stronger. Manchester City, United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and now Newcastle, can all compete for the league, that's seven teams when it comes to teams who can compete for La Liga, there are very few."
