Verdict in Manchester City case set to have huge Premier League impact as hearing draws near

With the exception of 2019/20, when Liverpool took the throne for a year, Manchester City have won the Premier League title every season since 2017/18 under Pep Guardiola’s guidance. Even before the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach took the reigns, they won it twice, in 2011/12 under Roberto Mancini, and in 2013/14 when Manuel Pellegrini sat in the dugout.

However, the apparently unbeatable City are currently being charged over numerous breaches of Premier League’s financial rules. Since the original story of 115 broke out, the number has reportedly risen to 130. The hearing is set to start in September and last 10 weeks, and the verdict is expected to be made known early in 2025.

However, City obviously have no intention of going down without a fight. They have categorically denied any wrongdoing in these matters, and they’re said to be preparing a strong defence. They’ve hired the services of Lord Pannick KC, one of Britain’s most renowned advocates. They’ve also started legal proceedings against the Premier League in turn, claiming the rules they’re being accused of breaking are unfair, and even unlawful. Further more, Guardiola himself has said on numerous occasions he trusts the club completely and believes in their innocence, and even took some mild shots at other clubs for spending much money on transfers.

“It’s already many years they have done it”, the Catalan tactician said. “But it is not news. It is only when Man City spend money.”

The investigations into City’s potential rule-breaking began after German magazine Der Spiegel got hold of some incriminating emails and made them public in 2016. The Manchester Blues were already punished by UEFA through a two-year expulsion from Europe, but they fought back and won the case on mere technicality – the offences which prompted UEFA to act were time-barred by then, as the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) said at the time.

The Premier…

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Author : Veselin Trajkovic

Publish date : 2024-08-16 10:48:06

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