Arsene Wenger has backed UEFA after European football's governing body banned Manchester City from the Champions League for the next two seasons.
Wenger was a noted critic of City’s spending when he was Arsenal manager and reacted to the news of the Blues' ban with minimal sympathy.
Speaking at the 20th Laureus Sports awards, Wenger joked: "City bought all of my players."
Wenger saw five of his top stars - Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Kolo Toure - all move to the Etihad after the Manchester club was taken over in 2009.
Wenger added: "My belief is that sport is about trying to win by respecting the rules.
"If there is no respect then it’s not real sport."
City have vowed to fight the ban and plan to appeal UEFA's ruling with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Wenger did not comment on whether City should be stripped of any trophies, but did say that they should be punished if they are found to have breached the rules.
He added: "I don’t know if it is planned to take City’s titles away because I don’t know the rules well enough.
"If it is proven that this has been done on purpose then City cannot go unpunished."
