According to Martyn Ziegler, chief sports correspondent of The Times, Ferran Soriano, CEO of Manchester City, told executives from other European clubs that Manchester City would vigorously defend itself against the Premier League's charges. According to sources present, Soriano said: "This has been going on for eight years, and it will take a long time before a final decision is reached."

Soriano explained at a meeting of the board of the European Club Association in Copenhagen that Manchester City would vigorously contest the independent commission's verdict and would do everything in its power to overturn it through appeals and potentially legal action.

According to The Times reporter, sources who attended the meeting told journalists that Soriano raised the matter at the beginning of the board meeting, saying: "We took eight years to reach this point, and it will take a long time yet."

It is alleged that Manchester City has breached the vast majority of the 115 Premier League charges, including all of the most serious ones. The independent commission will hold another hearing to decide what penalties should be imposed on Manchester City. Meanwhile, other Premier League clubs believe the Premier League should publish the verdict – to date, the Premier League has neither published the verdict nor commented on it. The Premier League will also submit recommendations to the independent commission regarding penalties, outlining what sanctions it believes should be imposed on Manchester City.

Some football figures believe that given the severity of the breaches, including Manchester City's lack of cooperation during the lengthy investigation, the Premier League must attempt to impose substantial points deductions that could potentially result in Manchester City's relegation.

The three-member independent commission will hold a penalty hearing to decide what sanctions should be imposed on Manchester City. The hearing is expected to take place in the coming weeks. At the hearing, the Premier League, as the prosecutor in this case, will be able to propose appropriate penalties.

The Premier League could therefore find itself in a dilemma. On one hand, it will face pressure to take strict action; on the other hand, it will also recognize that if Manchester City is relegated, the Premier League will lose some of its most influential stars, such as Haaland.

Manchester City's lawyers can then request a reduced penalty, and the club is also expected to appeal the guilty verdict. Given that the Premier League recommended a 12-point deduction in November 2023 for Everton's separate breach of the profit and sustainability rules, which ultimately resulted in a 10-point deduction by the independent commission, later reduced to 6 points on appeal, there is a view in English football that given the number and severity of Manchester City's breaches, the Premier League should attempt to impose a points deduction so severe that it virtually guarantees relegation.

The independent commission could also decide to expel Manchester City from the Premier League. However, should this measure be taken, Manchester City would find itself in an uncomfortable "limbo" situation, as the club could not guarantee its participation in the English Football League (EFL). In addition to points deductions, the commission could also impose transfer bans and fines on Manchester City.

Manchester City will almost certainly rely on the relatively lenient treatment of Chelsea by the Premier League and the FA in the past, arguing that it would lack consistency if the two clubs were treated significantly differently.

The charges against Manchester City include inaccurate financial reporting, inflated sponsorship revenue, undisclosed payments to players and coaching staff, and failure to cooperate with investigations.

Chelsea's previous breaches were also quite serious – during Roman Abramovich's ownership, there were undisclosed payments to agents, intermediaries, and players. Earlier this year, however, Chelsea was only fined £10 million by the Premier League and subsequently another £10 million by the FA.

The Premier League Board had previously reached a settlement with Chelsea and believed that a points deduction was not appropriate given mitigating circumstances, including "extraordinary cooperation." Additionally, Chelsea's original two-year transfer ban was suspended for two years.

Chelsea's new owners, BlueCo, reported the breaches to the relevant authorities after learning of them during the club's takeover in 2022 and provided investigators with hundreds of thousands of documents.

Manchester City cannot cite "cooperation with the investigation" as a mitigating factor, but the club could argue that since Chelsea ultimately received only a fine, Manchester City should also not be punished excessively.

One of the charges against Manchester City concerns the incomplete disclosure of former manager Roberto Mancini's salary details from the 2009/10 season to the 2012/13 season. It is alleged that Mancini had two contracts during this period: one with Manchester City and another as an advisor to a sister club under the Abu Dhabi consortium behind Manchester City.

Mancini, 61, is currently manager of the Italian national team. On Sunday local time, he said: "This is not a matter that concerns me. It is also nothing new, as this has been discussed for four or five years. Manchester City has not been found guilty, and the so-called dual contract has nothing to do with me. That is their problem, not my problem."

A Manchester City club spokesman said on Friday local time: "Premier League proceedings are ongoing, with important phases still to be completed, and the entire process is subject to strict confidentiality requirements. Over the past eight years, the club has diligently followed the required procedures, based on the expectation that the Premier League board and management will act as an independent, impartial, and fair regulatory body, free from any partisan or interested influence."

During Mancini's tenure, Manchester City won the FA Cup in 2011 and its first top-flight league title in 44 years in 2012.

Übersetzt von KI.

Die AF-Website ist jetzt online! Vollständige Nachrichten, Kommentare, Spieldetails und Statistiken auf dem Computer. Besuchen Sie: www.allfootballapp.com