Pep Guardiola with the Premier League trophy.
Manchester City could learn the outcome of their 115 Premier League charges at the end of January - but a final decision is not likely to be made until after the season concludes.
Appeals are anticipated regardless of how a three-person independent commission rules, with an expectation that the matter will not be settled until the summer.
City deny all charges - relating to alleged financial fair play breaches between 2009 and 2018 and the refusal to co-operate with an investigation - and are confident they will be exonerated.
The final arguments were heard at the International Dispute Resolution Centre on Friday, bringing to an end the hearing which started on September 16. And the panel are now deliberating with their ruling set to be communicated in late January or early February.
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City head coach Pep Guardiola has welcomed the case, saying it will eventually clear the cloud hanging over their achievements in recent years.
Asked in September if the team had discussed the charges, he replied: “No. We’re not lawyers. Erling [Haaland] is not a lawyer, no. We didn’t talk about that. What’s going to happen, the independent panel, and we’re going to accept the sentence.
“I’m happy it’s starting. I know there will be more rumours, new specialists about the sentences. We’re going to see. I know what people are looking forward to, what they expect, I know, what I read for many years. Everybody is innocent until guilt is proven. So we’ll see.”
Guardiola has since signed a contract extension at the club but has seen City, who have had a host of injuries, struggle to win games.
Pep Guardiola has welcomed the hearing because it could clear Man City's name.
They are eight points behind league leaders Liverpool with an extra game played a Manchester derby to come on Sunday. Before that City face Juventus away in the Champions League on Wednesday night requiring a win to move them back into the top eight of the table.
Since Sheikh Mansour's seismic takeover in 2008, City have won eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, six League Cups, the Champions League , UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. If found guilty of the charges their punishment could range from a fine to being booted out of the Premier League.
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