Manchester City supporters have been asking questions after the bombshell developments in the club's 115 charges case with the Premier League. The verdict has not been officially confirmed, but it is expected that City will be found guilty of the majority of charges, although the extent remains unspecific and the club vehemently deny everything.
That means any punishments can still only be speculated on, even if the case has already thrown up the topics of memory and compensation regarding City's past achievements. Chief Manchester City writer Simon Bajkowski has answered some of the key questions from fans.
Was letting Savinho leave a wise move?
One fan asked whether it was wise to let Savinho leave the club, saying they thought he was an important part of the team. Bajkowski said the short answer is yes, it was very wise from City to let Savinho leave, especially given the money Spurs were willing to pay.
He added that it was funny to think there is a City fan whose most pressing thought on Saturday was whether the club should have sold Savinho, given the surreal couple of days.
Is there any hope for City?
Another fan expressed worry about the sad news surrounding the club and asked if there is any hope. Bajkowski said there is a tiny amount of hope in the sense that there is still defiance from the club. In both the official statement and the letter to fans from chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, it was made clear that they believe there is a long way to go in the process and that they will be ultimately vindicated.
The verdict does not reflect well on City, but the extent of the damage is still unknown and the club will appeal any guilty verdicts. While nobody knows any of the evidence or arguments that have been submitted, nobody can say definitively that there is no hope for City.
Why are City so confident?
A fan asked why the ownership is so confident, questioning why they would spend millions to fight and block the investigation just to come with clear evidence at the end of the year-long process that they are innocent. Bajkowski said he has no idea why City are so confident, but nor does he know what they have been found guilty of and why.
He noted that City have meticulously refused to leak anything while either the UEFA or Premier League investigations took place. That means not putting any information out, including evidence that could paint them in a good light, while processes are ongoing.
What could impact the punishment?
A fan asked which part of the case would have the biggest impact on the punishment, what could be behind Khaldoon's confidence, and at what point the cumulative pattern of breaches becomes more important than individual charges. Bajkowski said nobody commits to a judicial process thinking they have no chance of winning, and if City are convinced they have the evidence, it makes sense for Khaldoon Al Mubarak to be speaking like that.
He described the charges as a pyramid with the most important at the top with disguising equity funding as sponsorship and then filtering down to the non-cooperation at the bottom. The charges at the top will determine whether an unprecedented punishment is possible.
As things stand, City are likely looking at a serious points deduction, possibly enough to effectively relegate them, but any punishment is not expected to come any time soon given the time needed for appeals and sanction hearings.
Compensation claims from rivals
A fan asked about the marginal impact of the alleged cheating, suggesting City could have handled their investments and sponsorships differently and still signed largely the same squad. Bajkowski said other clubs are already lining up claims, and it is one of the more interesting aspects of the story.
Fans, players, or managers of other clubs may feel they are entitled to trophies if City's guilt is proven, but another team would have been there if not City and nobody can say what would have happened. It feels more likely that City would be stripped of titles than others belatedly awarded them.
Bajkowski pointed to Everton's appeal after a Premier League commission ruled they owed Burnley £35m – £26m in damages and £9m in interest – for breaking PSR rules in the 2021/22 season, effectively ruling that Everton overspending caused Burnley to be relegated.
If City are guilty of the most serious crimes, any team that has missed out on any significant financial sum will be out for compensation, and it would get very messy indeed.
A fan's passionate message
One entry this week wasn't a question at all but a passionate message from a fan on the back of the charges. The fan, Aniee, wrote: "As a City fan, I am genuinely afraid of what the future holds for us and for Manchester City. I love this club so much, and I will passionately defend this club to the end of my days."
Aniee added: "Whatever happens with these charges, I believe we have to stand by our club and allow the process to take its course. Pep, the players, the board and the supporters have built something extraordinary over the years, and one difficult chapter should not erase everything we have achieved."
