Manchester City have been found guilty on 114 of the 115 charges levied against them by the Premier League. The verdict comes three-and-a-half years after City were first hit with the charges. Sanctions have not yet been decided, and City are expected to appeal the decision.
Background to the charges
In February 2023, the Premier League alleged that City had broken its financial rules over a nine-year period stretching from 2009 to 2018. The club were also charged with failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations into their finances.
City, who strongly denied all of the charges and any wrongdoing from the outset, won three league titles during that time. The charges cast a shadow over their success under Emirati owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Hearing and verdict
A 12-week hearing was held in front of a three-person independent commission between September and December of 2024. Now a verdict has been reached after years of silence.
A City statement to The Athletic read: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.
“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
Club and manager reactions
City maintained that their case was supported by a 'comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence'. Meanwhile, the Premier League claimed that City breached rules which required the club to provide 'accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club's financial position'.
Pep Guardiola left his role as manager of City in May and departed with the belief that the club were innocent. "I trust them," Guardiola, who was appointed in 2016, stated. "I spoke with them and trust how they behave and how they did. What happened, happened... There will be a resolution, but nobody from the staff, of the backroom staff or mainly the players and the manager was here."
There is no suggestion that the former City boss was aware of any alleged wrongdoing from 2016 to 2018. Enzo Maresca is now in charge of the side, having previously served as Guardiola's assistant.
"The only thing I can say is three years ago, the treble season, I was here, and it was the same words about this," Maresca said in July. "In three years, it's still the same. Nothing has happened. I don't have any concerns, personally."
