Following England’s 3-2 defeat by Spain at Wembley, manager Thomas Tuchel addressed concerns that the recent verdict against Manchester City regarding 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules had negatively impacted his squad. The news of the verdict, which found the club guilty on all but one charge, emerged on Friday, just one day before England’s Nations League match against Spain.

Critics have questioned whether the timing of the announcement served as a distraction for England players associated with Manchester City, particularly following costly defensive errors made by Nico O’Reilly and Marc Guéhi during the match. Tuchel, however, dismissed these concerns entirely. He opted to start Guéhi, O’Reilly, and Elliot Anderson despite the surrounding media noise and the high-stakes nature of the fixture against the world champions.

While the performance resulted in a loss, Tuchel’s stance remains that the internal focus of the England camp was not compromised by the external legal developments involving the Premier League club. The Guardian reports that the timing of the news effectively shifted the focus away from England's tactical preparations, yet Tuchel insists that his players remained committed to their duties on the pitch.