The Premier League and England face quite a headache. On paper, Manchester City was officially found guilty of multiple (114) financial violations of the financial fair play of the English championship. Doubtful contracts which, according to the report produced by an independent commission, allowed Skyblues to defraud for just over a billion euros. Normally, Pep Guardiola’s former club must be very harshly sanctioned, when we know that a club like Everton was very quickly punished for having also violated the rules of the English FPF, to a much less serious degree (€46 million fine to pay, 10 withdrawal points).
The English Prime Minister backtracks…
Except that the Toffees are not backed by a state, unlike Manchester City. Owned by the City Football Group and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the team coached by Enzo Maresca has already made it known that it will, whatever happens, appeal the sanctions that will be imposed. It now remains to know its content. And that is the heart of the problem. The Premier League cannot impose a cheap sanction, otherwise it would discredit itself with other clubs. But she also does not want to ruin her product, especially since it seems that the leaders of other teams are not necessarily inclined to see City be excluded from the Premier League. To this, we must now add the political aspect. English Prime Minister and former mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham hit the headlines by signing an intervention that many consider inappropriate and above all biased.
“I would indeed like to thank the City Football Group and all the shareholders for the money they have invested not only in the Etihad and the campus around it, but also in the city. I would be really worried about losing them. They were a vital partner in building modern Manchester. And of course, in the rise of Manchester City to the global power that it is today. I cannot intervene further in this process. It would be wrong for me to do so. I think it would be wrong to jump to conclusions before really investigating all the details, but it is obvious that the matter is ongoing, and as it is still being contested by Manchester City, I think it is right that I say no more. » Faced with the controversy, Burnham chose to rectify the situation via a press release published by a spokesperson for 10 Downing Street. “As the Prime Minister has made clear, the initial verdict is serious and there should be no suggestion that anyone is above the rules. He also stressed that this is an ongoing independent process. It is essential to let it take its course and respect its outcome. If irregularities are established, those responsible will have to assume the necessary consequences. »
…And that doesn’t please the United Arab Emirates
Faced with this very unwelcome backpedaling, the United Arab Emirates intend to fight back. They have already started to do so. Manchester City is one of the jewels of the small Middle Eastern country and it intends to use all its resources to put pressure. Like the press release published by one of the club’s main sponsors, the Emirati airline, Etihad Airways. Company whose contract is one of the irregularities singled out by the report of the independent commission. “Etihad categorically rejects any findings or implications that the airline was ever involved in improper commercial arrangements. At no time has the Premier League contacted or engaged in dialogue with Etihad as part of the process linked to the Commission’s opinion. Etihad will consult relevant legal advisors on the options and remedies available to protect its interests. »
Friday, Bloomberg brings a new element to the file. According to the financial media, “UAE officials have warned the British government that the severity of the sanction imposed on Manchester City could dampen their enthusiasm for future high-profile commitments in Britain. They believe that the measures taken by the Premier League have an impact on bilateral relations between the two countries”writes the media which specifies that the United Arab Emirates have invested more than 35 billion euros in key sectors of the United Kingdom over the last five years. The two countries would like to continue their collaboration and a summit on future investments is also planned this month between the two nations. A meeting which will inevitably involve the case of Manchester City, which has just appealed after the report published by the Premier League.
