For several years, Manchester City has been moving forward with a sword of Damocles hanging over its head. Accused of 115 offenses linked to financial fair play, the English club seemed calm and continued to move forward. Many said that after so many years, the Skyblues would be little or not worried. They were wrong. Last Friday, The Athletic revealed that Etihad Stadium residents have been found guilty of 114 financial offences. Yesterday, the Premier League confirmed the information while providing some details in a rather brutal press release.
Man City is seriously threatened
“An independent commission has found Manchester City FC guilty of all counts relating to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a period of nine seasons, as well as the majority of counts relating to its failure to cooperate with the League’s investigation.” City responded to this message. “Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the Premier League Commission’s advice, published today. The Club declares itself innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and has a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence which supports all its positions in this matter. »
The club added: “Manchester City FC now intends to exercise all possible appeals, considering that the decision contains manifest material errors of law, principle and fact, and that it is therefore unfounded. The Club scrupulously followed due process for eight years, working on the principle that the Premier League Board and management would behave as an independent, impartial and fair regulatory body, free from partisan influence. The club is obviously limited in what further it can say until all future proceedings are completed.”
A transfer window that raises questions
This is where we were yesterday. This Wednesday, the subject is being talked about in England and everywhere else. Many consultants, notably Roy Keane, tackle the Skyblues. Journalist Piers Morgan calls for Cityzens to be demoted. Mancunians who had known for some time about the decision regarding their guilt. This is what reveals ESPN. Thus, the media, which consulted sources close to the matter, explains that “Manchester City were informed this summer of their culpability for more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules, before spending massively in the transfer market.”
ESPN adds that although the decision was made public recently, City managers had been informed of the findings of the investigation as early as July. Knowing this, they still recruited with all their might. Indeed, 7 recruits have arrived, including Enzo Fernandez, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Iliman Ndiaye, Geronimo Rulli and Elliot Anderson to name a few. The English paid a little more than €525 million while knowing that they were guilty and that they were risking very big. A form of betrayal on the part of the Cityzens, who obviously did not inform the main stakeholders. What is certain is that this situation greatly worries the locker room which fears relegation.
