A hugely popular Iranian footballer who trained as a manager at Aston Villa has asked the country’s judiciary to carry out his punishment of 74 lashes in a national stadium in a symbolic gesture of defiance, after being found guilty of "spreading lies and causing public unrest”.

Hassan Rowshan, a football coach for the Esteghlal team who formerly played for the Iranian national team, had claimed in an interview that his club’s academy was “more interested in making money from rich families and did not produce any professional players”.

Two of the club’s directors sued Rowshan for libel and he is believed to have provided insufficient evidence to defend himself against the charges in court.

Rowshan, a household name in Iran, was sentenced on Wednesday to a fine of 10 million Rials (£195) and 74 lashes, which he has asked to be given in the 25,000-capacity stadium.

“I have no money to pay and would happily go to receive the lashes. But I ask the authorities to carry out the lashing in Amjadiya stadium in Tehran,” he said. “I thank Allah for this verdict and obey the court’s ruling.”