A historic matchup between Manchester City and the English Premier League.
More than 100 allegations of alleged financial impropriety and failures to comply with an inquiry that lasted more than four years were brought against the defending winner of soccer’s wealthiest and most popular club championship on Monday.
Numerous complaints allege violations of the league’s financial monitoring regulations beginning in 2009, or the first season in which Man City was fully controlled by the Abu Dhabi ruling family. Thirty further charges are related to Man City’s non-cooperation with a Premier League investigation that was launched after club internal correspondence were released in 2018 after being leaked and probably compromised.
The leaking of this information prompted UEFA investigators to look into possible financial rule violations intended to stabilize the frequently erratic European soccer market. A two-year ban from the Champions League in 2020 was given by UEFA-appointed judges, but the club successfully appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The English case, which does not contain a statute of limitations on evidence that was a difficulty for UEFA lawyers, appears to put Man City at greater risk.
The Premier League’s rule book, approved by clubs like Man City, gives its disciplinary committees broad authority to punish teams if allegations are found to be true. That might involve levying a fine, taking away a championship, or even booting Manchester City out of England’s top flight.
