'The circus door is open': Jose Mourinho says 'FFP is truly dead' as he lays into the 'disgraceful' decision to replace Manchester City's European ban with a fine and hits out at his old rival Pep Guardiola

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Jose Mourinho has declared Financial Fair Play (FFP) dead after the Manchester City court case and claims football may as well 'open the circus door' and surrender to the free-spending chaos.

The Tottenham boss launched a blistering attack on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) verdict that revoked City's two-year ban from UEFA competitions but fined them £9million for failing to cooperate.

'It's a disgraceful decision,' said Mourinho. 'If Man City is not guilty, to be punished with some millions is a disgrace.  

Jose Mourinho has slammed the decision to overturn Man City's two-year European ban

Mourinho said football might as well throw open the 'circus door' after Monday's ruling

'If you are not guilty you are not punished. By the other way, if they are guilty, they should be banned. In any case, the decision is a disaster.

'I'm not saying Man City is guilty. I'm saying if you're not guilty you don't pay. You are not punished, even with a pound. I know money is quite easy for them but it's just a principle.

'My criticism is not for Man City. Maybe they got unlucky. Maybe they don't deserve to be punished by one single pound and they were punished by eight or nine million.

'I am nobody to criticise or to know if they are guilty or not guilty. My criticism is for the decision panel. 

Mourinho said he didn't understand how City were simultaneously fined and found not guilty

Pep Guardiola was elated on Monday after Manchester City's European ban was overturned

'For me that's just it. I think it's going to be the end of FFP because there's no point.

'Let's open the door of the circus and let people enjoy, don't pay, go in, come out, and do what they want, go inside, and stay for the clowns show, and go out because I don't like the horses show. I go out and come in. There is no control. Let people enjoy freedom.'

If FFP is dead, he did not anticipate any implications for his own club where chairman Daniel Levy is famed for his careful approach to spending on transfers.

'Spurs is Spurs,' said Mourinho. 'I don't think Spurs will change its mentality which in many aspects is more than correct. I am happy with the way we think here.'

On the eve of a trip to Newcastle, however, he predicted a bonanza of recruitment for Steve Bruce if a proposed takeover by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia is approved by the Premier League.

'With no FFP, maybe a new owner goes there and spends lots of money,' said Mourinho. 'He will be free to do what he wants and spend what he wants to get the best players in the world if he can afford that, without hiding anything.' 

City will now be able to compete in the Champions League again next season after the verdict

Mourinho, who built the great Chelsea team bankrolled by Roman Abramovich, admitted he did enjoy this power in the transfer market.

That was before UEFA introduced FFP at the behest of objectors, notably Arsene Wenger, who coined the term 'financial doping' to describe Manchester City's policy after the Abu Dhabi takeover.

'When I say that FFP should finish it is not because I don't agree with the basic principles of the FFP,' said the Spurs boss. 

'I like the concept. What I don't like is the interpretation of it, and what people do with the tool they have at their disposal.'