Manchester City must face a "severe punishment" for breaching spending rules, according to La Liga president Javier Tebas. The call comes after it emerged that the club has been found guilty of the majority of charges brought against them by the Premier League.
City are expected to launch an appeal, with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak remaining confident the club will prove its innocence. However, Tebas has urged the Premier League to impose the strongest possible sanctions if financial rules were broken.
Tebas calls for exemplary sanction
The most severe punishment available to the Premier League is expulsion, an outcome that would require the support of at least 15 of the competition's 20 clubs at a general meeting. Tebas, a campaigner against 'financial doping' in European football, believes any sanction should make an example of City.
He said: "I don't know the exact rules, but I believe it should be the strictest punishment in the Premier League regulations regarding this matter. It should be a punishment intended to set an example.
"This isn't a matter of a father and his children - it is a punishment to ensure rules are followed. And violating the rules for over 10 years - no matter how minor the infractions - is a very serious matter.
"Therefore it has to be a severe punishment for the non-compliance. Not just to set an example, but because the rules were broken."
Club chairman reaffirms stance
The Premier League are yet to publicly confirm the verdict but have declined to comment on the reports. On Saturday, Al Mubarak wrote a letter to supporters to reaffirm the club's stance.
"Following Friday's media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues," the City chairman said.
"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."
