Manchester City found guilty of 114 of 115 charges, Premier League titles at risk
Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League for alleged financial irregularities, with the club now facing the possibility of severe sanctions, including the potential loss of Premier League titles.
The verdict, reached by an independent commission after an eight-year trial, was reported by The Athletic, citing sources familiar with the matter. Sanctions have not yet been decided and all options remain on the table. The city is expected to appeal the verdict.
The club claimed that The Premier League process was still ongoing and stressed that significant elements of the case were yet to be completed.
“The club has diligently followed due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive acted as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence,” a Manchester City spokesman told The Athletic.
City were charged in February 2023 following a four-year investigation by the Premier League into alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018. The club was accused of failing to provide accurate financial information, including details of payments to players and coaches.
The charges also related to alleged breaches of UEFA’s financial rules and the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules.
The city consistently denies these allegations.
PREMIER LEAGUE TITLES AT RISK
The verdict could have major implications for City’s finances in the period covered by the charges, although the exact punishment will depend on the sanctions ultimately imposed.
Premier League rules allow for a range of potential punishments, including fines, points deductions and suspensions from the competition. The back-counting of points could change the order of previous seasons and potentially affect the validity of titles won during the period under review.
City have won eight Premier League titles since the Sheikh Mansour Abu Dhabi United Group completed their takeover of the club in 2008. Six of those titles came after the start of the season covered by the Premier League side.
The club also won four FA Cups, seven League Cups and the Champions League under Mansour’s ownership, making it one of the dominant forces in English football.
HOW THE PREMIER LEAGUE CASE BEGAN
The Premier League investigation followed the publication of leaked financial documents by German magazine Der Spiegel in November 2018.
The documents prompted scrutiny of City’s financial arrangements and led to a lengthy investigation into the club’s dealings between 2009 and 2018.
After the Premier League completed its investigation in February 2023, it charged City and referred the case to an independent commission.
City responded at the time that they were “surprised” by the allegations and welcomed the opportunity for an independent commission to examine what the club described as a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” supporting its position.
The club’s stance remained unchanged throughout the case.
PREVIOUS UEFA CITY BATTLE
The Premier League case is separate from City’s previous dispute with UEFA over financial fair play rules.
In February 2020, UEFA imposed a two-year ban from European competition and a €30 million fine on City following an investigation into Der Spiegel’s revelations.
City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned the two-year ban five months later. CAS ruled that the alleged FFP breaches were either not proven or time-barred under UEFA regulations.
However, CAS found City guilty of failing to co-operate with UEFA’s investigation by failing to provide a substantial amount of evidence. It called the breach “serious” and said it should be “severely reprimanded”.
The fine was subsequently reduced to £8.8m.
The Premier League case proceeded independently of this UEFA process. With City now reportedly found guilty of 114 charges, attention shifts to the commission’s sanctions and the club’s expected appeal.
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