Man City charged by Premier League with numerous breaches of financial rules

[clivewolves]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622539544078827520

 

[O Lobo do Parque Leste]

Man City charged by Premier League with numerous breaches of financial rules following a four-year investigation.
Man City hit with more than 100 charges of breaching rules by the Premier League. Possible sanctions if found proven include points deductions or even expulsion from the league.

Popcorn out!

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

4 year investigation. What's next, 2 years to decide a sentence, another year for CAS to cancel it?

 

[Kashmire Hawker]

Man City charged by Premier League with numerous breaches of financial rules following a four-year investigation.
Man City hit with more than 100 charges of breaching rules by the Premier League. Possible sanctions if found proven include points deductions or even expulsion from the league.

Popcorn out!

Not even those legal people, who helped them win in 2020 will save them this time!

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Man City charged with over 100 breaches of financial rules after four-year investigation — The Independent

The Premier League alleges City broke several regulations between 2009 and 2018 and the club could now face sanctions including a possible points deduction

apple.news

The lengths the PL will go to, to help Liverpool qualify for Europe

On a more serious note. Call me cynical, but this is released just as the government is about to announce an independent regulator for football…

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

4 year investigation. What's next, 2 years to decide a sentence, another year for CAS to cancel it?

With what happened with UEFA, and City's threats to tie anyone up in legal challenges for a decade with unlimited funds available to their lawyers, the Premier League must be pretty confident they have found something to even launch the charges.

 

[lets all have a disco]

4 year investigation. What's next, 2 years to decide a sentence, another year for CAS to cancel it?

Probably get sorted before they deal with Ivan Toney....

 

[WickedWolfie]

With what happened with UEFA, and City's threats to tie anyone up in legal challenges for a decade with unlimited funds available to their lawyers, the Premier League must be pretty confident they have found something to even launch the charges.

They better have a lot of legal funds available....

 

[tamwolf]

It will most likely result in a fine and a transfer ban. No point in getting the popcorn out.

 

[JonahWolf]

Can’t see this amounting to anything, but by god I hope it does.
The level of financial doping they did in the early years was obscene. It’s not like we have anything like a level playing field anyway, but to so completely destroy the ‘competitive balance’ to that extent in such a short space of time is an absolute pee take.
Strip the titles and give them -9 points for every season, should be enough to see them relegated. Second thoughts, don’t strip the titles, because that means a couple more for the insufferable scousers.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

With what happened with UEFA, and City's threats to tie anyone up in legal challenges for a decade with unlimited funds available to their lawyers, the Premier League must be pretty confident they have found something to even launch the charges.

They may have been heartened by the recent ECJ ruling on the ESL which essentially gave UEFA the right to set and enforce rules within its competitions. As I suggested in an earlier post on FFP legal challenges, I imagine that limits the legal pathways for clubs to challenge enforcement of any league rules to essentially disproving the charges relative to the rules, rather than challenging the legitimacy of the rules themselves. So City might seek to argue that they’ve acted within the PL rules, but couldn’t challenge the rules themselves. That makes it somewhat easier for the PL to determine whether it thinks it has a solid case or not.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

It's such a farce that is goes back to 2010 though. You're left with the possibility of a club dominating the PL for a decade based on not following the rules (not a shock really). Then the PL balancing trying to enforce their rules without starting to cull the geese that lay their golden eggs.

 

[Kashmire Hawker]

Last time major clubs was done like this, was Juventus in the Italian Scandal in the mid 2000’s, when they were stripped of there titles and relegated to Serie B and AC Milan being docked half there points from 2005/06.

It will be interesting to see what actually comes of it, if City are found guilty.

Calciopoli - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Sussex Wolf]

It's such a farce that is goes back to 2010 though. You're left with the possibility of a club dominating the PL for a decade based on not following the rules (not a shock really). Then the PL balancing trying to enforce their rules without starting to cull the geese that lay their golden eggs.

I agree. As I said, I think this more likely an attempt by the PL to demonstrate it can properly govern itself and seek to limit the power of the new regulator to a “soft touch” outfit. The timing is just too convenient. Simon Jordan on Talksport was talking about the forthcoming regulator last week and basically saying that while he didn’t like the idea, English football has brought it on itself by failing to properly police itself and distribute the wealth through the leagues in a more equitable way.

 

[Kashmire Hawker]

Here’s some context on the case, which started in December 2018 and which City tried to get reporting of it blocked, but the High Court said no.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622552613144109057

 

[marrs-guitar]

At most it will lead to a transfer ban (that will get reduced in length anyway) and a fine which they can pay out of their back pocket.

The league obviously has no serious desire to undermine its reputation and expose it as being a fraudulent competition. UEFA tried to go in harder, but only because City are largely an irrelevance in European football.

The lawyers of all parties will earn a hefty sum though.

 

[Andywolf74]

Would be great if it’s a penalty that actually impacts them (points deduction etc). I’m personally encouraged to see well run clubs like Brighton and Brentford currently above Chelsea in the league. Fortunately, spend spend spend doesn’t always guarantee success. Just look at some of our big money signings in recent years, compared to what looks like shrewd business for Lemina and Dawson.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

Can’t see this amounting to anything, but by god I hope it does.
The level of financial doping they did in the early years was obscene. It’s not like we have anything like a level playing field anyway, but to so completely destroy the ‘competitive balance’ to that extent in such a short space of time is an absolute pee take.
Strip the titles and give them -9 points for every season, should be enough to see them relegated. Second thoughts, don’t strip the titles, because that means a couple more for the insufferable scousers.

Meh, and what? Accept the status quo of Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal winning everything?

At least City put a few noses out of place. The established top four had all benefitted from financial doping one way or another.

There's not been a level playing field for a long long time. The "elite" clubs are constantly trying to pull the ladder up with their FFP rules which are skewed in their favour.

 

[Bacon Sandwich]

Could I add Nottingham Forest to the list, Your Honour? Has anyone asked how they can possibly sign 29 players since promotion? Pay the transfer fees, the agents' fees, the wages? Crowds of 30K and no shirt sponsor?

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Here’s some context on the case, which started in December 2018 and which City tried to get reporting of it blocked, but the High Court said no.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622552613144109057

What a farce that UEFA couldn't actually make them disclose their internal documents in their investigation.

 

[Oldgoldilox]

So its taken the PL five years to react to something that they were getting away with for nine years in which time they won the title three times.

So why dont we just crack on, screw the rules, have a magnificent decade of success and take the slap on the wrist when the doddering old gits catch up with us in fifteen years or so. The precedent has been set.

 

[Norman Bell]

The investigation into Chelsea's transfer dealings over the past 12 months, which looking at how long the Citeh investigation has taken to come to fruition should make interesting reading in 2033 then.

 

[bod101]

when are chelsea going to be done? they've been at it for years

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

So Citeh, will get the equivalent of some parking fines and 3 years notice of a January Window transfer ban in 2028 (stock up in the Summer Citeh).

Oh and the investigation will burn enough funds to keep every club in League Two afloat for ten years!

 

[Olivergoldblack]

So its taken the PL five years to react to something that they were getting away with for nine years in which time they won the title three times.

So why dont we just crack on, screw the rules, have a magnificent decade of success and take the slap on the wrist when the doddering old gits catch up with us in fifteen years or so. The precedent has been set.

Yep I agree. Whatever punishment they get wont matter, because they've achieved what they set out to do which was to the top of the deloitte money league. Like they could get banned from Europe for a couple of years, pay a fine, couple of transfer embargo's, a points deduction, they'd see it out, and then carry on as normal but still near the top of the Money League.

It's staggering that a club like Man City have £50m more revenue a year than a real giant like Man U.

Makes you laugh how quick Uefa punished us because we got into Europe too quickly, when it was so obvious what the other clubs were doing but no punishments for them.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

Football in this country is so bent

 

[tonto]

Yep I agree. Whatever punishment they get wont matter, because they've achieved what they set out to do which was to the top of the deloitte money league. Like they could get banned from Europe for a couple of years, pay a fine, couple of transfer embargo's, a points deduction, they'd see it out, and then carry on as normal but still near the top of the Money League.

It's staggering that a club like Man City have £50m more revenue a year than a real giant like Man U.

Makes you laugh how quick Uefa punished us because we got into Europe too quickly, when it was so obvious what the other clubs were doing but no punishments for them.

I reckon a ban from all European competitions would hit them in the pocket and stop players wanting to be with them

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I reckon a ban from all European competitions would hit them in the pocket and stop players wanting to be with them

But can the PL do that for breaking their rules?

 

[Kashmire Hawker]

UEFA must also feel vindicated that they investigated them in 2020, as among the PL charges is City broke UEFA’s FFP rules between 2013-2018.

On top of this, the Prem also believe that they paid Roberto Mancini much more than what the club told the them, during his reign as Manager between 2009-2013.

Having counted the PL’s statement, I think they have a whopping 143 Charges against them between 2008/2009 to 2022/2023 (2018/2019-2022/2023 being for non-cooperation in the investigation) and is stunning timing, ahead of the full White Paper on Football Governance being released tomorrow.

 

[JonahWolf]

Meh, and what? Accept the status quo of Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal winning everything?

At least City put a few noses out of place. The established top four had all benefitted from financial doping one way or another.

There's not been a level playing field for a long long time. The "elite" clubs are constantly trying to pull the ladder up with their FFP rules which are skewed in their favour.

I don’t disagree with that. However…Yanited weren’t breaking as many rules or as frequently when they had their period of dominance, Abramovich’s Chelsea distorted the transfer market forever but were only mostly cheating the loan and young player rules.
City knew about FFP, and did everything they could to **** all over it, building 2 first 11s both arguably better than anything else in the league.
Which then bought them the success and exposure to be able to allegedly afford that squad now.

So yes, the scum 6 can all sod off, but Citeh and PSG’s version of competition destroying imbalance is worse for me.

 

[SuperGran]

Could I add Nottingham Forest to the list, Your Honour? Has anyone asked how they can possibly sign 29 players since promotion? Pay the transfer fees, the agents' fees, the wages? Crowds of 30K and no shirt sponsor?

30 players

 

[SuperGran]

Newcastle will watch with interest

 

[Pagey]

Anybody else think we could make a player out of that Haaland, if he needs to leave to balance the wage bill?

Debruyne might do a job from the bench?

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Unfortunately/fortunately Fosun have been very transparent with the authorities and regulators. Partly I think because of the Chinese links and the ‘diplomatic’ issues with China they could see how they could be a target.

This case could be interesting on so many levels. If the sanctions are weak then it blows FFP out of the water. The likes of Everton who have been claiming their lack of activity is due to potential FFP breaches could sue the PL if Man City simply get a slap on the wrist. they, and others, could argue that by staying within the rules adversely impacted performance and at potentially the cost of a PL place with £100m of revenue.

It’ll be interesting if there is further scrutiny of the American owners of other clubs and the Russian links elsewhere.

 

[AndyY]

Didn’t we fall foul of UEFA’s FFP rules?

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

UEFA must also feel vindicated that they investigated them in 2020, as among the PL charges is City broke UEFA’s FFP rules between 2013-2018.

On top of this, the Prem also believe that they paid Roberto Mancini much more than what the club told the them, during his reign as Manager between 2009-2013.

Having counted the PL’s statement, I think they have a whopping 143 Charges against them between 2008/2009 to 2022/2023 (2018/2019-2022/2023 being for non-cooperation in the investigation) and is stunning timing, ahead of the full White Paper on Football Governance being released tomorrow.

I think as @Sussex Wolf said,the timing is indeed interesting. A sport seen as incapable of applying its own rules suddenly comes up with this the day before a White Paper saying that is published?

 

[old wittonian]

They'll be cleared by VAR.

 

[xbomber]

Newcastle will watch with interest

The Newcastle situation and the threat it brings to a perceived level playing field probably added weight their wishing to pursue Man City.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Not even those legal people, who helped them win in 2020 will save them this time!

Oh they definitely will, the Premier League are a toothless tiger

 

[SuperGran]

The Newcastle situation and the threat it brings to a perceived level playing field probably added weight their wishing to pursue Man City.

Yes that’s right