‘Catastrophic’: Manchester City could be kicked out of Premier League
Allegations of secret payments from a billionaire Sheikh and 113 charges of rule breaches has rocked one of the biggest clubs in the world.
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Manchester City could be expelled from the Premier League after they were charged with more than 100 alleged breaches of financial rules.
Other possible punishments include a points deduction for the reigning champions, transfer bans, spending limits and even the stripping of previous titles - although the situation is unprecedented.
The club are accused of overstating their sponsorship income to allow them to spend more money on players, under the league’s strict financial fair play rules.
The potential consequences could be catastrophic for one of the biggest football clubs on the planet.
Piers Morgan on Tuesday morning joined the push for City to have points deducted from its 2022-23 season campaign calling the club’s alleged behaviour “outrageous”.
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The investigation into the club’s dealings has lasted for four years.
And now the Premier League has published its findings – and it does not make good reading for the club.
The Etihad club on Tuesday morning released a brief, defiant statement, declaring it was “surprised”.
At this stage City have been charged but not found guilty.
But they would not be able to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if the ruling does go against them.
The charges relate to breaching regulations over nine seasons between 2009 and 2018, with the investigation starting way back in December 2018 — plus further charges of failing to cooperate and hand over documents as required over the last five seasons from 2018-19 to 2022-23.
The unprecedented Premier League investigation, which started in December 2018, was prompted by the publishing of leaked documents by German website Der Spiegel - with the investigation focusing on three specific areas.
Premier League legal chiefs believe City hid the true source of their revenues by claiming they were from sponsors when in fact they were funded by the club’s Abu Dhabi owners.
The majority of shares in the Manchester City Football Group are owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who has an estimated net worth of $21 billion.
City are also accused of paying a significant part of former boss Roberto Mancini’s salary through an Abu Dhabi shell company and hiding that fact.
In another section of the charge, City are said to have not given full details of player wages.
The club stands accused of breaching Uefa Financial Fair Play rules for five seasons and Prem “profitability and sustainability” regulations over three seasons.
Another alleged issue is “under-age players were pressured to sign contracts with City through monetary payments”.
Now the findings of the Premier League investigation, namely the 32 separate charges and 113 alleged breaches, have been referred to a commission.
Uefa originally slapped City with a two-year ban and fined the club £25million in February 2020 for alleged financial fair play breaches.
However, just five months later, that was overturned and the final fine was cut to £9m by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
European soccer bosses Uefa slapped City with a two-year ban and fined the club £25 million ($43.6 million) for alleged financial fair play breaches.
However, in 2020, that was overturned and the fine cut to £9 million ($15.7 million) by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Now the findings of the investigation and multiple alleged breaches have been referred to a commission.
It is also claimed by the Premier League that City did not comply with Uefa regulations surrounding club licensing and financial fair play in 2013-14 and between 2014-15 and 2017-18.
Another breach relates to profit and sustainability rules in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.
The Premier League also accused City of failing to cooperate and assist with the investigation.
As the club did in 2020 with the Uefa appeal, the side will likely establish a significant legal team of expert lawyers to fight their case.
Manchester City respond to allegations
City said in response to the latest allegations: “Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.
“The Club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.
“As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
City won the Premier League three times in the period covered by the investigation - in 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18.
They have also finished top of the table three times since - in 2018-19, 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Possible punishments would be catastrophic
The list of punishments available to the commission, include:
— Suspend a club from playing league matches
— Points deductions
— transfer bans
— Recommend to the board that league matches be replayed
— Recommend to the board that the league expels the respondent club
— Order compensation
— Cancel or refuse registration of players
— Conditional punishment
— Order the club to pay costs
— Make such other order as it thinks fit
Originally published as ‘Catastrophic’: Manchester City could be kicked out of Premier League
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