What is the Premier League case against Manchester City?

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·18. August 2024

What is the Premier League case against Manchester City?

As the Premier League launches its new season, the shadow of Manchester City‘s ongoing legal battle looms large.

The club is braced for an independent hearing into 115 charges of financial misconduct, slated to begin as early as September 16th.

The outcome of this hearing, expected sometime around the start of 2025, could have seismic consequences, potentially leading to City’s expulsion from the league, although that seems highly unlikely.

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The case against City

The charges against City include:

Failure to provide accurate financial information: This pertains to nine separate seasons, raising concerns about transparency and compliance.
Non-disclosure of manager and player payments: Details regarding former manager Roberto Mancini‘s remuneration and players’ salaries remain under scrutiny.
Non-compliance with UEFA rules: This includes breaches related to Financial Fair Play regulations.
Breaches of Premier League profitability and sustainability rules: These relate to the period between 2015-16 and 2017-18.
Failure to cooperate with Premier League investigations: This further complicates the matter, again suggesting a lack of transparency as well as an unwillingness to engage.

Potential consequences

If found guilty, City faces a range of punishments, including potential expulsion from the Premier League. This would be an unprecedented move, and would send shockwaves through the football world.

The league’s stance

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters has stated that it’s “time for the situation to resolve itself.” The case has been ongoing for several years, and a resolution is long overdue.

City’s response

City denies any wrongdoing and is sparing no expense in its legal defence. They have engaged top legal counsel and are prepared to fight the charges vigorously.

In addition to the main case, City is also involved in a separate arbitration case against the league over associated-party transaction rules.