Premier League champions Manchester City stand accused of financial fair play rules violations in a landmark case. The hearing into the case, which is expected to go on for months, started on Monday. The club has denied all charges and continues to maintain it has irrefutable evidence to clear it of any wrongdoing.
However, a lot is at stake in this epoch-making case. Among other penalties, City could be at risk of expulsion from domestic cup competitions, and their eligibility to continue playing in the Champions League or later at the Club World Cup is uncertain if they are found guilty.
Premier League rivals of the club are reportedly in favour of the harshest punishments being meted out to them. A one-off points deduction is considered not sufficient for the gravity of the charges stacked up against City. Besides, if the club is stripped of the league titles won in the period under scrutiny, rival clubs like Liverpool stand to benefit.
While there have been instances of clubs punished for running foul of the financial fair play rules, there hasn’t been a case of this magnitude. Italian club Juventus have had to serve a ban from European football and points deduction for related charges over the past year. However, City’s charges could prove far more consequential as details from the hearing start to emerge.
City’s rise to dominance in the Premier League began with the takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008. The investment by the new owners began to bear fruit from the historic league triumph in 2012. Since then, City has gone on to win the title seven more times, including three straight championships from 2021-2024.
