Ha week ago, the Premier League experienced a turning point. The English League accused the Manchester Cityof alleged and numerous breaches of financial rules, on more than 100 occasions!
The alleged breaches, ranging from 2009 to 2018, would be related “with financial information on benefits, remuneration of coaches and players, UEFA regulation and cooperation with the Premier’s investigations”. Now, they have been sent to an independent commission to be studied before issuing a final verdict that cannot be appealed before the Premier by some ‘cityzens’ who sang the alirón three times in that period (2012, 2014 and 2018).
“City proved that they were completely innocent in the UEFA case. Why shouldn’t they think the same now? I am completely convinced that we will be innocent and then what will happen? Will we stop? Since Abu Dhabi took over of the club has always been like this. Looks like we’ve already been sentenced. I’m not going to move from here, that I can assure you. I want to stay more than ever“, sentenced Pep Guardiola. But, how do you see this situation from the United Kingdom?
From financial to sports
Guardiola: “We will be innocent, since Abu Dhabi took over the club it has been like this”
Kieran Maguireprofessor and head of the economic portal ‘Price of Football, explained to MARCA the inside story of this case from a financial point of view: “The accusations are, in general terms, that City overestimated revenue and underestimated expenses, allowing the club to meet the Financial Fair Play. First, they will listen to the parties and review the evidence. Then, they will make a decision and, if they are punished, they could demand greater control or sanction them with the loss of points and even relegation.”
They will make a decision and, if they are punished, they could demand greater control or punish them with the loss of points and even relegation
Now, seven days after the ‘boom’ of the ‘City case’, we have tested the opinion of five journalists who closely follow ‘cityzen’ news. Sam Leeprofessional of ‘The Athletic’ covering the ‘sky blue’ update, sees similarities to UEFA’s 2020 sanction of two years out of Europe… which CAS later annulled: “It is difficult to have an opinion because, although the large number of charges are very serious, it was also very serious when City were thrown out of the Champions League. Everybody talked about it, people got very angry, but the club said they would fight and win… and in the end they won. Now, the situation seems very similar to then. If they are found guilty, it will be news, but it is not certain and it could be years before we find out.”
The situation seems to be very similar to that of the UEFA punishment in 2020. If they are found guilty, it will be news, but it is not certain and it could be years before we find out.
Miguel Delaney, a journalist for ‘The Independent’, puts the seriousness of the events into perspective: “Due to the alleged charges, it is the biggest controversy that the Premier has faced beyond the Super League. The English football people were surprised. The seriousness of the alleged charges is also the reason why the possible punishments are so severe.” A line that also follows James Gregg (BBC): “It is the strongest set of charges in the history of the Premier! When they communicated them, they knew they were going to cause a stir. I don’t know what will happen, but it is a message for anyone who thinks they can get away with it It’s just the beginning of a very long legal battle. If you’re from City, it’s worrying.”
Due to the alleged charges, it is the biggest controversy that the Premier has faced beyond the Super League
Panorama of Manchester City, with the Kompany statue in the foreground.
It is the strongest set of charges in the history of the Premier!
Chris Flanaganjournalist of ‘FourFourTwo’, highlights how this situation affects the rest of the clubs: “For the Premier the case has to be convincing, since it took four years to conclude the investigation and City have been accused of more than 100 offences. There has been talk in England that some clubs may want City relegated if found guilty, or their league titles stripped and handed over to the teams that finished second each season. But surely City will fight the charges very vigorously, so no one can be sure what the outcome will be. This could be one of the biggest dramas in Premier League history.”
The ‘City case’ could be one of the biggest dramas in the history of the Premier
Álvaro Romeo, head of the ‘Talksport’ Universo Premier podcastx-ray the situation with precision: “The accusations are extremely serious. Now the club is expected to allocate all the necessary resources to prepare a solid defense that will make it emerge gracefully, if not immaculate, from this new dispute. Immaculate is impossible because his image has already been very touched. However hard the lawyers try, it will be difficult for City to offer seamless arguments for each and every one of the more than 100 offences.. Without going any further, when he won his appeal to the TAS three years ago, the judges’ ruling recognized that, indeed, there was a basis for suing City. It gives the feeling that the Premier saved that part of the sentence and decided to continue pulling the thread.”
It seems that the Premier kept that part of the UEFA sentence and decided to continue pulling the thread
“Regardless of what happens, the damage to City’s reputation has already been done. A period is inaugurated in which everything City achieves on the field will be accompanied by a brick, a reminder, a comment in parentheses saying that the club is being investigated. It is imperative that the punishment, if any, be exactly as provided for in these cases, regardless of the damage it may cause both the Premier and City. This process can be long and by the time there is a resolution, many current members of the club may already have left,” confesses Romeo. There is controversy for a while…
