Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against the club over alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, in a ruling that could reshape English football.
The verdict was delivered by an independent commission earlier this week and brings to an end one of the longest running sagas in the history of the English game. City stood accused of financial mismanagement stretching across multiple seasons, and the panel found against the club on almost every count.
City remain adamant they have done nothing wrong and have vowed to fight the judgement. The club is expected to appeal, which means the final outcome could still be months away.
What punishments are on the table
The commission has several sanctions at its disposal. A fine, a points deduction and a transfer embargo are all on the table, but the most dramatic option is expulsion from the Premier League.
Expulsion would require 15 of the 20 Premier League clubs to vote in favour, and senior figures at rival clubs are already making their feelings known.
Two senior executives at different top flight clubs told Sky Sports News they would be “staggered” and “amazed” if the vote went that way, describing expulsion as a “self-inflicted commercial disaster” for the league.
One executive warned that removing City would leave only 19 clubs playing the remaining fixtures, with broadcasters in the UK and abroad likely to seek refunds for games they had paid to televise. Sponsorship and corporate income across the league could also fall, while the futures of stars such as Erling Haaland and Phil Foden would be thrown into doubt.
Not everyone agrees
There is a counter feeling among some leading clubs that letting City stay would damage the brand and integrity of the competition. According to one source, an extended spell outside the top flight, painful as it would be in the short term, is needed to protect the league’s global image.
The clubs themselves would not decide the sanction. That power sits with the independent commission, although a vote could become necessary if expulsion is recommended.
The Championship does not want City either
If City were expelled, their future would rest with the FA and the EFL. All 72 EFL clubs would have to vote, with a majority needed to decide where, or even if, City would play.
That is not a welcome prospect in the second tier. One Championship director said there was “absolutely no” benefit to the league in City dropping down, arguing their wealth would “blow the Championship away” and kill a promotion place for another club.
“There isn’t another club in the Championship that could handle that level of wealth,” the director added.
Sponsors and rivals consider legal action
Etihad Airways, City’s principal shirt sponsor since 2009, has said it categorically rejects the verdict and is considering legal action against the Premier League.
Meanwhile, several rival clubs are said to be weighing up their own legal positions, with some considering financial claims against City depending on how the sanctions fall.
What happens next
City will appeal, and the commission must still decide on punishment. If expulsion is recommended and the clubs vote it down, nobody quite knows what happens next, because English football has never been here before.
For now, the champions stand guilty on 114 counts, the league is divided, and the biggest financial scandal in Premier League history is far from over.
Reporting for this article was drawn from Sky Sports News and The Guardian.
