Last season, Everton (twice) and Nottingham Forest fell foul of breaking Premier League financial rules, resulting in points deductions for the two teams. Manchester City now faces a hearing into an alleged 115 charges of breaking Premier League financial rules.
After four years of investigation, the hearing for the 115 charges started on Monday and it is big news for everyone involved in the Premier League.
City, of course, remain favourites with bet365 Sport to win the Premier League. Especially after a start which has seen them win their first four games this season.
However, the threat of major sanctions on the team, should they be found guilty, hands like a cloud over the club at present.
Let's explore what this hearing will try to establish.
The English Premier League is currently abuzz with the commencement of the hearing involving Manchester City. The club faces 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.
This hearing, which began on Monday, marks a significant moment in football history. The charges were referred to an independent commission in February 2023 after a thorough four-year investigation.
The alleged breaches span from 2009 to 2018, and City has denied all charges, claiming their case is supported by “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence.”
The Premier League claims that Manchester City failed to provide accurate financial information reflecting the club's true financial position, including revenue from sponsorships and operating costs.
Additionally, the club is accused of not cooperating with the Premier League investigation.
These allegations were initially published by the German newspaper Der Spiegel, based on what City claims was “illegal hacking and out-of-context publication” of emails.
Since being taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, City has won eight league titles, multiple cups, and the Champions League.
The private hearing is expected to last around ten weeks at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London.
City's legal team is led by Lord Pannick KC from Blackstone Chambers, who previously helped overturn a two-year European ban for City in 2020. Other barristers include Philip Marshall KC and James Mather from Serle Court.
The charges breakdown includes:
The hearing is expected to last around ten weeks, extending into late November. However, no immediate judgment will be made post-hearing; a decision is anticipated early in 2025.
This type of case cannot go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but can be appealed with a new independent panel arranged.
Legal fees are already estimated at tens of millions of pounds before the hearing starts. Whichever side ‘wins' may claim costs.
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The hearing could redefine recent football history in England and impact world sport.
Manchester City fans feel targeted by football's old elite. Manager Pep Guardiola claims rivals want City punished, but the team continues to win.
Accusations against Manchester City include deceiving and duping the Financial Fair Play system to fund player acquisitions.
Alleged breaches include inflating sponsorship income and disguising cash flows to comply with financial rules.
If found guilty, punishments could include heavy points deductions or expulsion from the Premier League. It is believed several Premier League teams are pushing for very punitive sanctions for City given the scope of the allegations.
A hefty points deduction each season over a number of seasons has been mooted, as has relegation from the Premier League to the Football League.
However, there has yet to be a suggestion that Manchester City would be stripped of any of the honours that they have won either during or after the period under investigation.
Reputational damage would affect not just City but also Abu Dhabi, given its connections to the club.
Should the hearing find City free from blame, then it would be a very costly moment for the Premier League, who would be liable for City's costs as well as their own.
But the damage would be considerably more than financial.
It would embolden clubs who are already at the limit of financial fair play, to push beyond it. While clubs that operate within those rules, would feel aggrieved and at a significant disadvantage to other clubs.
A not guilty verdict would also call into question the evidence collected by the Premier League and how this process was conducted. It would undermine the effectiveness of the competition and would certainly lead to divisions between teams in the division.
It would also mean that the Premier League would need to seriously review FFP rules, or even do away with them altogether, which would be a complete victory for the wealthier clubs that are not allowed to spend beyond their means due to the current rules.
It would likely mean a number of executives on the Premier League committee either resign or are sacked and could even lead to a return to talks about a breakaway league. Especially for those teams who feel that City have “got away with it.”
However if City are found guilty then what happens next will depend upon a number of things. Namely:
If the Premier League simply fine City, then Premier League clubs will feel that this punishment is entirely ineffective. It would also be out of keeping with the punishments previously handed out to other teams.
If City have points deducted, then it would be the number of points deducted from City that would determine the reaction. A small points deduction would infuriate many Premier League clubs while City would likely reluctantly accept that. A large points deduction would still feel insufficient to many clubs and infuriate City.
Relegation from the Premier League is seemingly what many clubs want for City if found guilty. Some have argued that the charges are so numerous, that City should be relegated to League Two, in the same way Rangers were in Scotland several years ago.
Of course, that would be disastrous for City and their owners. It would ruin the reputations of both. Hugely affect their finances for years to come and would likely see the firesale of almost all their top stars.
It is because of this huge scope between being acquitted and receiving no penalty, to potential expulsion from the top flight of English football and loss of their star players, which makes this hearing so important for the future of Manchester City and the Premier League.
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