Manchester City ‘found guilty’ of Premier League breaches, what happens next and possible sanctions | OneFootball

Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of 114 of 115 Premier League charges after a long-running investigation, with the verdict not yet public. According to The Athletic, an independent panel concluded City breached multiple top-flight financial rules more than three years after the charges were first filed.

The case covers alleged breaches from 2009 to 2018 following the Abu Dhabi United Group takeover. The club are said to have misreported financial information, including sponsorship values and wages, which may in turn have affected profit and sustainability rules. Some counts concern a failure to co-operate, extending into the 2022/23 season, and City have consistently denied the charges.

City can appeal and are expected to do so, meaning any punishment could take time to finalise. The report added that the club views the process as ongoing and confidential, and says its stance from February 2023 remains unchanged after eight years of engaging with due process.

If the verdict stands after appeal, possible penalties range from a reprimand or fine to a points deduction, or in the most extreme case expulsion from the Premier League.

Expulsion would force an application to the EFL to rejoin the league ladder, with no precedent for how that might be handled.

City could also face retroactive points deductions that strip titles from the affected seasons. They won three Premier League crowns in the period in question, and Liverpool may be awarded 2013/14 and 2018/19, with Manchester United benefiting in 2017/18.

Given the scale of the case and number of breaches cited, a significant sanction can be expected, though the final outcome and timeline remain unclear.

Source: Sunderland Echo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”