Insiders warn Manchester City's long-running legal battle with the Premier League could just be the start of a new war against the Premier League
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General view from outside the stadium of the Manchester City crest.
Man City have been charged with an alleged 115 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.
(Image: Tim Goode/PA Wire.)
Forewarnings have been given that a final verdict regarding Manchester City's 115 charges will only be the beginning of a new battle for the Premier League.
Man City's 115 charges seem to have been going on forever. The case had actually finished in December and since then, an independent panel have been going over the details before they deliver their verdict.
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There is no doubt that all Premier League clubs, especially the likes of previous and present title chasers Liverpool and Arsenal alongside European position-fighting sides such as Aston Villa, will be sat waiting for the outcome.
What clubs will be nervous of is what happens next. They will all be wise enough to understand that, following a verdict, there will be a further battle that Man City and the Premier League will fight.
If Man City wins, the fallout would be 'carnage' one Premier League executive told The i Paper. They continued to add: “I don’t think the roof comes in straight away or anything, but it significantly weakens the Premier League’s hand on the rules. Would the whole financial fair play edifice be next?”
Pep Guardiola at full time during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Manchester City and Plymouth Argyle at Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola signed a contract extension last year(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
The i were further told by head of football governance at investment consultants Lane, Clark & Peacock, Aaryaman Banerji: “The Premier League’s authority has been challenged in recent seasons, both domestically and internationally.
“In the 2023-2024 season alone, the league spent £45m in legal fees against its own clubs. If Manchester City can claim victory, it would further undermine the Premier League.”
If after the Premier League's multi-millions of pounds worth of legal support to try and apply their own rules that they wrote against a club who is said to have broken them fail, they would lose all credibility.
What Premier League chief executive Richard Masters will be hoping is that they take victory in the fight. This is where Pep Guardiola's side may have to face a hefty punishment.
“The issue of whether Manchester City might be expelled from the Premier League is a complex one,” Banerji continued. "Rule B6 of the Premier League’s Handbook stipulates that, in order to trigger the expulsion of one of its members, clubs would have to vote as part of a Special Resolution.
“This would require 15 clubs to vote in favour of expulsion. It will be instructive to see whether the Independent Commission is held to this requirement, or whether this might be worked around, so that the Commission can itself impose such a sanction.”
However, no matter who wins, it is more than likely either losing party will appeal the decision - both entities have too much to lose. An appeal would take another few months and could even possibly drag on for another year or more.