Javier Tebas claims Manchester City exempt from punishment over Premier League’s 115 charges | OneFootball

La Liga president Javier Tebas has issued fresh comment surrounding Manchester City’s 115 charges and the Premier League’s overall handling of the situation.

The long-running legal dispute between City and the Premier League has become one of the most significant governance issues in European football, having first been announced in February 2023.

The charges relate to between 2009 and 2018, during which the league alleges City failed to provide accurate financial information, with such accusations focussing on the reporting of sponsorship income and disclosure of full details regarding manager and player remuneration.

Manchester City have strongly rejected allegations from the outset, insisting they have substantial evidence to disprove claims and clear their name. A 12-week hearing in front of an independent three-person commission concluded in December 2024 at London’s International Dispute Resolution Centre, yet there has still been no public verdict.

Among the most vocal critics has been La Liga president Javier Tebas, who has frequently clashed with English football authorities over financial regulation and competitive balance, but particularly voiced his anger towards the likes of City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London, Tebas claimed that “uncertainty” had been created by the Premier League regarding the application of rules.

“I understand that it’s a failure [of governance] – this happened with Manchester City and other clubs are looking and watching and listening,” Tebas said. “[Other clubs are] being fined, having points deducted, and that’s fine if you don’t abide by the rules.

“But Manchester City has impunity. I speak to a lot of Premier League clubs, and the majority don’t understand this either. That makes the institution weaker.”

Tebas went on to emphasise the need for legal certainty in financial fair play regulations, “It’s not just the delay, it’s the general situation. When a great institution like the Premier League, when you have to have rules for financial fair play, you need to have a lot of legal certainty in the competition and among clubs.

“Citizens have to think that the system is fair to all, that it’s not arbitrary, that it’s objective. When you have this type of situation, you’re generating uncertainty and that’s damaging for an institution’s image.”

The comments add further pressure on the Premier League, whose chief executive Richard Masters has previously stated that the competition is still awaiting a decision from the independent panel.

With the 2025/26 season approaching its climax, and Manchester City engulfed in a hotly-contested title race with Arsenal, speculation has intensified over what sanctions could follow if the Etihad Stadium club are found guilty of the most serious breaches.

Analysts have suggested a substantial points deduction would be the most realistic sporting punishment under Premier League regulations, rather than expulsion to a lower division.

Both the league and Manchester City are expected to receive short notice before any ruling is made public, leaving clubs, supporters and stakeholders across Europe braced for a potentially seismic conclusion to a case that has already reshaped debate around governance in the game.