Manchester City found guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League charges
Etihad StadiumManchester City have been found guilty of nearly every single accusation in their long-running financial case.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, the club has been judged culpable on 114 of the 115 charges levelled against them.
A long investigation
The vast investigation centres on alleged rule breaches stretching between 2009 and 2018.
Supporters have waited years for an outcome while the independent commission weighed the evidence behind closed doors.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters previously acknowledged the immense timescale involved in reaching this stage.
He defended the timeline as the only proper route to let the regulatory process unfold thoroughly.
The expected response
Despite the severity of the findings from the independent commission, the saga is far from finished.
Manchester City are widely expected to launch a formal appeal against the verdict.
Back in February 2023, the club issued a firm stance regarding their cooperation with the inquiry over a number of years.
“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
That statement highlights just how long the reigning champions have been defending themselves against the league’s allegations.
Punishments still unclear
While the verdict is a seismic moment for English football, the exact sporting penalties remain completely undecided.
Potential punishments mentioned previously range from heavy financial fines and severe points deductions to stripping past titles.
Some extreme outcomes could even theoretically involve expulsion from the top flight, though nothing is confirmed.
Because an appeal process will surely follow, nobody should expect a swift final conclusion to this historic case.
What happens next
The independent commission still has significant elements of the case to complete before sanctions are officially announced.
Manchester City will prepare their legal challenge while the rest of the Premier League watches anxiously for the final punishment.
