Manchester City have been found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules, and pundits have had their say. From anger to upset, the decision has sparked emotional reactions among former players.
Guilty verdict and appeal plans
On Tuesday, the Premier League confirmed that the Independent Commission had found that City were guilty of all charges related to serious violations over a nine-season stretch and overstated their commercial income by more than £800million. They were found guilty of all but one breach in relation to their cooperation with the Premier League's investigation.
Manchester City plan to appeal the decision and maintain their innocence. Sanctions for the club will be decided in a separate hearing and could take the form of a fine, points deduction or other sporting sanctions.
Following the news, there have been calls for City to receive severe punishments. Some have called for the club to be relegated, while others have suggested the team's ownership can continue at the club.
City, meanwhile, suggest that 'irrefutable evidence' has been ignored and will look at all avenues to vindicate themselves. In a message to staff, CEO Ferran Soriano described the suggestion that commercial income came directly from their owner as a conspiracy theory.
Jamie Carragher: "The club are going to get punished"
Jamie Carragher said: "The club are going to get punished. For me, this is all about the owners. I don't know how the owners can continue in English football.
"We talk about the fit and proper test for owners, what they have done over ten years now in the Premier League and this stain that will be there for the next ten years about 'did they win it really, was that fair?'
"This all starts with Manchester City and it starts because they do not like the word 'no'. When the rules came in, it's in the emails: 'We can do what we want'.
"And when you see the statements in the last couple of days, the one from Sorriano last night, it actually beggars belief what you are watching and hearing here. Until they move away from the club, I don't know how this stain is ever removed from the club."
"I just don't see how the ownership can continue after what has happened here and the way they are actually reacting to it.
"How can they be surprised, and that they have got irrefutable evidence? Where is it? Put it out there, surely.
"If you have irrefutable evidence of something and you are getting charged by the police, you hand it to them because you want this over with as quickly as possible. City have almost dragged this on, kicking the can down the road."
Micah Richards: "Absolutely devastated"
Micah Richards said: "First of all, the reports were troubling. I saw the words that were used by the Premier League...'sham contracts'.
"I felt absolutely devastated, as someone who loves Manchester City and I know we have a laugh and a joke about 'I supported Arsenal when I was young' but Man City is my club.
"I had been at that club since I was 14 years old, I would die for that club, all the rollercoaster from being in the academy, down at Platt Lane going all the way through, making it to the first team, I achieved my dream at Man City but then to hear these reports and not only me as an ex-player but the fans what they have to go through, absolutely devastated.
"My digs man, he rang me today, and he was literally in tears and asking me for information. I haven't got the answers to tell him, and that is someone who has supported the club for 60-odd years, and the uncertainty around it is just heartbreaking.
"The word I use is heartbreaking, to have a headline of this nature for a club that I love so much, it's been difficult.
"If you listen to the reports that have been said, they are damning. How do I feel? I feel saddened, I feel angry, I feel a little bit confused because on the other side you have City's side of the story."
Alan Shearer: "What a complete and utter mess"
Alan Shearer said: "What a mess, what a complete and utter mess. I go back to what we said at the weekend, the ramifications go so far it is unbelievable because where does it stop?
"Where do the clubs stop? Where do individuals stop? Where do the accolades...there is so much at stake here for football, for the Premier League and Manchester City.
"So yes, it's a complete and utter mess isn't it? I look at their success, clearly they have to wait for sanctions to come out, then do they appeal?
"If it is all comes out in terms of you're done, you're banged to rights, how do they get over...how do they look back?
"I know the fans have had their memories, but that Aguero moment...that is one of, if not, the greatest moment in Premier League history in terms of how it unfolded and what happened on the day.
"That is blown apart now if that is what is going to happen, that is done. That memory, I am not a City fan and I don't really care but that for me was one of the iconic moments in Premier League history.
"When and if City are done, banged to rights, it's finished."
Ian Wright: "Unprecedented punishment is required"
Ian Wright called for Manchester City to be given an 'unprecedented' punishment.
"It's cheating on an industrial scale. It's quite surreal seeing it written down like that. The amount of stick I've taken off that.
"Unprecedented punishment is required here. It's a massive day for the Premier League. They've taken on a whole country, massive.
"Very messy. It's a problem for them to be going to Liverpool (in their next fixture). In their real time, Liverpool were the team chasing them down. Look at what Jurgen Klopp went through to break them - it probably broke him. It's so sad. It's probably going to get very litigious."
Roy Keane: "I'd be 100% sticking them medals in the bin"
Roy Keane said: "Well, do you know what? They knew it would hurt a lot of people, and they still done it. And if I was a player with that bit of success and praise that we've given a lot of credit for - but if I was a player I'd be 100% sticking them medals in the bin.
When questioned if he'd feel betrayed by the club as a player, he responded: "Oh 100% of course, of course you would. It's cheating. You're hearing nonsense from ex-players saying 'oh well they won on the pitch'. Because there was cheating. There was cheating going on."
"I think it's going to be very difficult for the players, for the manager. The trust, the belief in whatever's gone on at the football club, what they stand for when you've got owners who are quite happy cheating.
"It's very difficult for these players going forward to try and maintain the level of excellence that they've been [displaying]."
