Manchester City have lodged a formal appeal against the independent commission's guilty verdict on 114 charges relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. The Premier League confirmed the verdict last week, finding the club guilty of all but one of the alleged breaches.
Sham sponsorships and inflated revenue
The findings revealed that City had used 'sham' sponsorship arrangements to artificially inflate its revenue by almost £900million between 2009 and 2018. The club firmly contests the charges and has lodged a formal appeal against the ruling.
Much of the debate has focused on the potential repercussions should City's appeal fail. Possible penalties could range from a hefty fine to significant points deductions or, in the most extreme circumstances, expulsion from the Premier League.
Maresca backs City hierarchy
Manager Enzo Maresca addressed the media for the first time on Thursday, stating he trusts the City hierarchy 'completely.' He said: "Personally, I'm very calm to be honest. The club has been quite clear. We trust completely the club. We understand the noise but the focus for us is just what we can control and we can control just the football side."
"The players are excited for the next two games. But especially they are excited because in this moment we are top of the league. The players are just focused on that. They know what we can control is the football side – they are not worried at all about different things."
League reaction and next fixture
Fellow Premier League bosses have also faced questions about Manchester City's guilty verdict during media briefings, and their responses have contributed to the ongoing discussion surrounding the case. City resume their Premier League campaign on Sunday, making the trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool in a huge league encounter.
