Manchester City Found Guilty Of 114 Premier League Charges, Faces Sanctions | Sahara Reporters
The reports noted that no sanction had been decided and that City were expected to appeal the findings.
English football club, Manchester City, has been found guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League charges brought against the club over alleged financial breaches, reports said on Friday.
The reports noted that no sanction had been decided and that City were expected to appeal the findings.
The outcome followed an independent hearing that began more than two years ago and could have significant implications for English football.
City were charged by the Premier League in 2023 following an investigation into alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018.
The club, which has consistently denied the allegations, was accused of failing to provide accurate financial information, including details of payments to players and coaches, and breaching financial sustainability rules.
Under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour, whose Abu Dhabi United Group acquired the club in 2008, City have won eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups, seven League Cups and one Champions League over the past 15 years.
The allegations partly stemmed from leaked documents published by German outlet Der Spiegel in 2018.
Emails purportedly sent by senior City executives appeared to show the club had inflated sponsorship revenue from Abu Dhabi state-controlled airline Etihad and telecommunications company Etisalat by disguising direct investment from Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group as income.
Other documents purportedly showed off-the-books payments to former City manager Roberto Mancini through consultancy fees from a club in Abu Dhabi.
Potential sanctions could include a points deduction and possible expulsion from the Premier League if the findings are upheld.
Everton and Nottingham Forest were both handed points deductions during the 2023/24 season for breaching the league’s profit and sustainability rules.
The findings could also have implications for City’s players, including striker Erling Haaland, while other clubs could seek compensation or challenge titles won during the period under investigation.