Manchester City, found guilty on 114 of the 115 charges / Club faces relegation and stripping of titles

Manchester City was reportedly found guilty on 114 of the 115 charges concerning alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, in a case described as “the trial of the century” in sport. The decision has not yet been officially announced, and the club is expected to appeal, according to the New York Times.

The club faces sanctions that may range from a warning and fine to a points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League. Relegation would represent the harshest measure. It is unclear whether any potential sanctions would affect the titles and trophies won by City during the period in question, 2009-2018, when the team won three league titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.

The investigation began following revelations by the German publication Der Spiegel in November 2018 concerning the club’s financial documents. In 2020, UEFA imposed a two-year suspension and a fine, but the CAS overturned the suspension, considering that the allegations had either not been proven or were time-barred. City was nevertheless fined £8.8 million for failing to cooperate with UEFA. The club has consistently denied the allegations.