Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League, but the league has yet to issue an official statement on the outcome. News of the verdict emerged last week, with the charges relating to the period between 2009 and 2018. All but one of the charges delivered a guilty verdict.
Punishment decision could take months
City are expected to appeal the outcome and continue to maintain their innocence. A range of possible punishments has been discussed, including a points deduction, a fine, the stripping of titles, or even expulsion from the Premier League.
A report from BBC Sport claims that a sanction hearing convened by an independent panel will be needed to decide the punishment. This process could still take several months to complete, indicating that a final outcome is not expected in the near future.
Appeal process and public announcement
The report also claims that the result of the sanction hearing is unlikely to be publicly announced until after City's appeal, which does not have an indicated timeframe. This means the Premier League may not comment on the situation at all until a final decision has been made.
City have issued two statements since the news of the guilty verdict emerged, but the Premier League has not commented publicly on the outcome.
Club chairman's open letter to supporters
City issued a statement on Friday saying that the 'process remains ongoing', while the club's chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, wrote an open letter to supporters. In the letter, Al Mubarak wrote: "Following Friday's media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues.
"So have I. Here's what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club's innocence is just as strong as when this began.
"There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position. But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies.
"I ask you to please carefully read the statement below, which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023. Every word matters and holds true.
"While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed. We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity.
"We have some exciting moments to look forward to after this international break. We travel to Anfield in a fortnight, and then host Paris St Germain in the Champions League back at Etihad Stadium - moments that give us an opportunity to celebrate the strength of the Manchester City family.
"Thank you, as always, for your constant support."
