A critical development has occurred in the long-running financial investigation into Manchester City in the English Premier League. According to information reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic, an independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League.
While it is stated that City was acquitted of only one charge, the sanctions to be imposed on the club have not yet been announced. Manchester City is expected to appeal the decision.
WIDE SCOPE OF CHARGES
The file on Manchester City includes various topics such as the failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information, financial disclosures regarding player and manager remuneration, the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules, and UEFA's financial regulations.
Some of the charges relate to whether the club cooperated with the investigation conducted by the Premier League. Since the day the investigation began, Manchester City has denied the allegations that it violated financial rules.
SANCTIONS YET TO BE DETERMINED
Following the decision regarding the 114 charges, all eyes have turned to the sanctions that could be imposed on Manchester City. However, at this stage, no penalty such as a points deduction, fine, or expulsion from the Premier League has been finalized.
While the sanctioning process is expected to be carried out separately, Manchester City is expected to exercise its right to appeal the commission's decision.
STATEMENT FROM MANCHESTER CITY
After the decision was reported in the press, the Manchester City side pointed out that the process has not yet been completed.
A club spokesperson stated that the Premier League process is ongoing and that there are important stages that need to be completed. Manchester City also expressed that it maintains the position it held in its previous statements.
For this reason, what the penalty to be imposed on the club will be and how the sporting consequences of the decision will take shape have not yet been finalized.
INVESTIGATION CAME TO LIGHT IN 2018
The investigation into Manchester City's financial structure came to the agenda following leaked documents published in 2018. After a comprehensive review conducted by the Premier League, the club was referred to an independent commission in February 2023 with 115 separate charges.
The file included 54 charges for failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information, 14 charges for financial disclosures regarding player and manager remuneration, 5 charges for UEFA's financial rules, 7 charges for the Premier League's profitability and sustainability regulations, and 35 charges for failure to cooperate with the investigation.
Manchester City has not accepted the charges brought against it throughout the process.
DIG FROM RIO FERDINAND
Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand also made a reference to the 2011-12 season following the development.
Recalling the season in which City finished ahead of Manchester United on goal difference, Ferdinand said in a social media post, “Another Premier League title to put in the trophy cabinet.”
COULD TITLES BE REDISTRIBUTED?
Since the sanctions to be imposed on Manchester City have not yet been announced, the fate of the club's past Premier League titles remains uncertain.
If City's titles were to be revoked, the possibility of declaring the teams that finished in second place in the relevant seasons as champions could come to the agenda. However, in the current situation, there is no finalized decision regarding the cancellation of any of Manchester City's titles or their awarding to another team.
In a potential change scenario, the teams that finished in second place in the seasons City won the title are as follows:
- 2011-12: Manchester United
- 2013-14: Liverpool
- 2017-18: Manchester United
- 2018-19: Liverpool
- 2020-21: Manchester United
- 2021-22: Liverpool
- 2022-23: Arsenal
- 2023-24: Arsenal
This list only shows the scenario that could emerge as a result of a potential sanction. There is no finalized decision at this stage regarding the redistribution of titles.
News Source: 12punto
