How Man City might be penalised following the Premier League's financial inquiry, possibly by losing points

Manchester City was the subject of a Premier League investigation into its finances for four years until it was revealed on February 6 that the team had allegedly broken the law on several instances. Manchester City has essentially been charged with obtaining an unfair edge over rival teams while being a part of the City Football Group. The penalties can be severe. But this story is far from over, and GOAL outlines the chronology of possible outcomes for Manchester City, including potential sanctions for alleged financial rule violations.

What reportedly went wrong with Manchester City?

In the years immediately following the 2008 acquisition orchestrated by Sheikh Mansour of the Abu Dhabi United Group, the club has been accused of breaking Premier League regulations more than 100 times between 2009 and 2018. They are accused of specifically failing to give the Premier League proper financial information and deceiving regulators about the league's earnings, including sponsorship money and running expenses. There are suspected anomalies in the salaries given to Manchester City's manager Roberto Mancini from 2009 to 2013 and to a number of players from 2010 to 2016. These salaries must be reported to the league. There are also allegations that from 2015 to 2018, Manchester City violated Premier League regulations regarding sustainability and profitability. The investigation's reach extends beyond domestic activity, and the Premier League found that Manchester City possibly violated the UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations between 2013 and 2018. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport previously reversed a UEFA suspension from European tournaments. Still, a €10 million punishment was imposed.

The Premier League issued a statement confirming that it has submitted a number of suspected violations of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club (the "Club") to a commission in line with Premier League Rule W.82.1. After a four-year probe, Manchester City, which has won six Premier League championships under the present ownership, refuted all allegations. Manchester City responded to the claims by writing, "Manchester City is astonished by the issuing of these claimed violations of the Premier League Rules, particularly considering the considerable involvement and large quantity of comprehensive documents that the EPL has been presented with." "The club appreciates the impartial evaluation of this matter,"commission to objectively take into account the substantial body of uncontested evidence that exists in support of its claim. "As a result, we anticipate this issue being resolved definitively."

What will happen with the Premier League's inquiry into Manchester City next?

The situation is far from resolved and can last for months or perhaps years. The Premier League has sent Manchester City to an impartial panel, which will decide on any sanctions, after they have published their findings. Importantly, unlike with UEFA's conclusions, the club will not be allowed to challenge that commission's judgement before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.The 15-member committee, which was chosen by the Premier League's legal council, will hold closed, private hearings. The jury is made up of retired or active lawyers, football officials, and judges. There is no set deadline for when the panel will decide anything.

Possible sanctions for Manchester City, include point deduction and relegation

The penalties Manchester City may face if the independent panel decides to take action against the club were not specified in the Premier League report.
However, the Premier League regulations already provide a list of acceptable sanctions that independent commissions may impose in response to rule infractions.If the results of the Premier League are confirmed by the commission, practically everything is on the table according to the rulebook.

According to Section W.51.4 of the Premier League's official rules and regulations, the following sanctions are possible:

• A fine for unlimited quantity
• suspension of a club from playing in league matches, with an unlimited timeframe
• Point deductions
• Replays of past matches
• Permanent expulsion

The killer, though, emphasises the commission's authority: Therefore, it should be clear why Manchester City apocalypse tales are circulating. In contrast to the UEFA sanctions, which were largely overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, there is no similar external defence offered in this case. It's crucial to keep in mind that the commission has been given the aforementioned general leeway, and no one in a position of authority in this particular probe has given any indication of the extent—if any—of Manchester City's punishment. Simply said, it is still too early to predict how the independent panel will decide.

Pep Guardiola is expected to quit Manchester City

There have been rumours that Guardiola's reign is about to expire even without the probe. In November, he agreed to a two-year contract extension, although this only momentarily allayed concerns that he may leave. Guardiola declared last month, "I would leave or not extend my contract the moment I believe anything is wrong. "Unlike [Sir Alex Ferguson] and [Arsene] Wenger, I won't remain. Simply said, the contract is a piece of paper. I stayed with the club longer because I think my leadership can still help the squad succeed. In the end, outcomes are everything. Because of the deal, I won't stay to the finish if we become weary of one other.Guardiola's dissatisfaction has been increasingly clear as Manchester City behind Arsenal in the battle for the 2022–23 Premier League championship. This is especially evident in his contentious comment that he didn't care how the squad performed this year and his most recent jab at supporters. He has also frequently stated that a deterioration in confidence over Manchester City's business transactions might hasten his departure. Last year, Guardiola remarked, "I instructed our employees, 'Tell me about it. I defended the club because of the way they appeared to me and because I wholeheartedly trusted them from the start.

What will Manchester City do next?

The Premier League's charges will prompt a barrage of inquiries about Guardiola and his group, as well as rumours regarding the manager's future until he underlines his dedication to the undertaking as the probe moves forward.

However, there may be a long period of silence after that while the independent panel deliberates for an unlimited amount of time behind closed doors about how to manage the club.

Manchester City will attempt to overtake Arsenal for the Premier League crown this season while also attempting to win the Champions League for the first time under Guardiola.