Man City respond as Premier League confirm guilty verdict over financial breaches | Football
Manchester City said they are ‘disappointed and surprised’ after the Premier League confirmed the club are guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of financial rules.
In a lengthy statement, it was revealed that the club had arranged ‘sham’ sponsorship deals, filed misstated accounts and breached spending limitsto ‘artificially inflate the club’s revenues, and reduce its costs, by more than £900 million during the affected period’.
The club also committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League throughout the course of the lengthy investigation.
A redacted version of the commission’s report, published on the Premier League’s website, confirmed the club had been found guilty of all charges except one relating to non-cooperation with the Premier League investigation.
Less football on the telly? Read about it instead
Our exclusive football newsletter cuts through the noise to deliver analysis and gossip straight to your inbox every week. Sign up now for free.
Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, said: ‘The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade.
‘It also vindicates the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the League has remained determined that the facts be established independently.
‘It is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition. It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and for the fans. We take that role extremely seriously.
‘This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in Premier League history. There are elements of the case that remain to be decided, including, importantly, what sanction must follow for these breaches. Now we have the Commission’s decision, we are committed to moving swiftly through the remainder of the process, to provide certainty for the League, our clubs and fans.’
City, who have until Friday to appeal, have immediately responded to the confirmed guilty charges, insisting the club is innocent of the accusations levelled against them.
Ask Metro
Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
‘The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums,’ their statement continued.
Manchester City allegations timeline
November 2018: German newspaper Der Spiegel publish claims Manchester City have breached FFP rules
March 2019: UEFA launch investigation into the claims
May 2019: Manchester City launch an appeal against the investigation
November 2019: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rules the appeal as inadmissible
February 2020: Manchester City are handed a two-year ban from European competition and a €30m fine by UEFA
July 2020: The ban is overturned after the club appeal to CAS
April 2022: Der Spiegel report the Premier League has been investigating Manchester City for three years
February 2023: The Premier League charges the club with 115 breaches of its financial rules
September 2024: Start of a 10-week hearing between the Premier League and Manchester City
September 2026: Reports emerge that Manchester City have been found guilty on all but one of the 115 financial rules the club are accused of breaking
‘The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.
‘The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.
‘The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete.’
What What punishment could Man City face?
The Premier League does not have set sanctions for financial rule breaches which means City could face a points deduction, a fine, or even expulsion from the top flight.
In 2024, Everton were deducted six and then two points for breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
In that same year, Nottingham Forest were deducted four points.
In 2020, UEFA banned City from competing in Europe for two seasons for ‘overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts’.
City immediately submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and their two-year ban was overturned.
CAS also reduced City’s €30 million (£25m) fine to €10m (£8.9m) after finding that ‘most of the alleged breaches reported were either not established or time-barred’.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Martin Odegaard injury update revealed as teammates consider Bernardo Silva revenge
MORE: Former Chelsea and Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino slams Man City and Premier League
MORE: Wayne Rooney disagrees with Rio Ferdinand over ‘uncomfortable’ Man City punishment
