Manchester City players have reportedly asked whether they can escape their contracts in the event of a severe punishment, following the club's guilty verdict on more than 100 rule breaches. The eight-time Premier League champions are in turmoil after being found guilty, though they continue to protest their innocence and have lodged an appeal against the decision of an independent commission.
Potential sanctions and player concerns
Should the ruling be upheld, possible sanctions include being stripped of titles, a points deduction, and banishment from the top flight. The last of these would be catastrophic for the club, casting serious doubt over the future of their expensively assembled squad, as the prospect of players such as Erling Haaland playing in the EFL or National League would be unthinkable.
It could also leave the club's biggest stars facing a substantial financial blow, with reports suggesting they stand to receive bonuses of up to £400,000 for winning the Champions League.
Players turn to agents
The Times reports that following the verdict, players immediately turned to their agents with questions about potential punishments, the ramifications of being excluded from UEFA's premier club competition, and whether any avenue existed to exit their contracts in the event of relegation. The report further notes that no relegation clauses exist in players' contracts, meaning the club would be compelled to dramatically slash costs and conduct a fire sale of their prized assets.
Publicly, the players have deflected questions regarding the guilty verdict. Prior to Sunday's fixture at Liverpool, where City anticipate a fierce reception from the Anfield crowd, manager Enzo Maresca stressed he had complete faith in the club and anticipates the appeal will prove successful.
Maresca's defence
The Italian said: "The reason why I joined this club is because I completely trust, 100 per cent, the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, the whole organisation. I don't have any doubt about that."
"There is not another club in the world where I would like to be. I am very happy to be here, I am very proud, as I've said since day one. I would like to speak about this situation when we are going to win the appeal. I completely trust the club in this moment, in the future, always."
His predecessor, Pep Guardiola, once insisted he would be prepared to manage the club in League One. When asked whether he would do likewise, Maresca said: "I won the Championship with Leicester. So in case [of] League One, we are going to see, but we are thinking about something that we don't know. What happens if we win the appeal? I don't know. We are predicting the future. I'm worried about tomorrow, in two days, three days. I don't know what is happening in the future."
"It is fair, from my point of view, from all of us, to respect the process. There is an appeal ongoing. We will see what happens."
