Clubs across the Premier League are awaiting a verdict on Manchester City's hearing into their alleged 115 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules
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Aston Villa are among the Premier League clubs waiting to learn the outcome of Manchester City's 115 charges hearing
Aston Villa are among the Premier League clubs waiting to learn the outcome of Manchester City's 115 charges hearing
(Image: Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Manchester City are waiting to hear the verdict of their financial charges hearing while the rest of the Premier League, including Aston Villa, watch on.
The 12-week hearing took place in London and began in September last year before concluding in early December. A verdict was always expected in spring this year, and Pep Guardiola told reporters in February that he expected to learn the outcome 'in a month'.
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City are alleged to have broken the Premier League's financial rules by failing to provide accurate financial information for nine seasons (between 2009 and 2018) and are accused of not co-operating with the four-year investigation, among other things. The Manchester club vehemently deny the charges and have maintained their innocence throughout.
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A decision from the independent commission is expected to be made public sooner rather than later. However, experts have warned that this could yet drag on for several more months if either side, as they have the right to do, choose to appeal the verdict.
City's former financial adviser, Stefan Borson, recently told Football Insider : “I think there’s been some sort of debate about whether you would have a split appeal process or whether effectively the parties will be told to wait until the full judgment and then to appeal the liability and the sanction together. I think it’ll be the latter.
"Otherwise, you could have the complexity where the liability hearing is being appealed while waiting for the sanction hearing, so that would seem to be a bit confusing. I think the appeal will probably have to wait until we’ve got the full verdict.
"If it’s a two-week sanctions set of submissions and a separate hearing, then you have got to then wait for the decision to come out on that. That itself could be a month, six weeks or maybe more. The Everton and the Nottingham Forest cases were effectively sanction hearings because liability had been admitted.
“We saw those took around six weeks, maybe longer from the actual panel to the decision, so this is going to drag on. Now it looks like it’s going to drag on until the end of the season. In some ways, that could suit everybody involved. It’s only going to drag on to the end of the season if City are found liable for anything. If they’re clear, then the question will be what will the Premier League want to do about an appeal?
“But if City are found liable for anything, this could drag on until the end of the season. In some ways, that’s positive in that it allows people to deal with it in the closed season to an extent. But if the sanction is very serious, then you’ve got the issue of what happens with relegation or which season do you take the points from and all of that sort of stuff."
Below is a full list of the charges City are alleged to have breached, all of which they strongly deny.
1. In respect of each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those seasons that required provision by a member club to the Premier League, in the utmost good faith, of accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs, namely:
(a) for Season 2009/10, Premier League Rules B.13, C.71, C.72, C.75 (amended to C.79 from 10 September 2009 for the remainder of Season 2009/10) and C.80;
(b) for Season 2010/11, Premier League Rules B.13, C.78, C.79, C.86 and C.87;
(c) for Season 2011/12, Premier League Rules B.13, E.3, 4, E.11 and E.12;
(d) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11 and E.12;
(e) for Season 2013/14, Premier League Rules 15, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.49;
(f) for Season 2014/15, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.50;
(g) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.50;
(h) for Season 2016/17, Premier League Rules16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.51; and
(i) for Season 2017/18, Premier League Rules B.16, 3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.51.
2. In respect of:
(a) each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2012/13 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager, namely:
(1) for Seasons 2009/10 to 2011/12 inclusive, Premier League Rules Q.7 and Q.8; and
(2) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules P.7 and P.8; and
(b) each of Seasons 2010/11 to 2015/16 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of player remuneration in its relevant contracts with its players, namely:
(1) for Seasons 2010/11 and 2011/12, Premier League Rules K.12 and K.20;
(2) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules T.12 and T.20;
(3) for Seasons 2013/14 and 2014/15, Premier League Rules T.12 and T.19; and
(4) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules T.13 and T.20.
3. In respect of each of Seasons 2013/14 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, namely:
(a) for Season 2013/14, Premier League Rule B.14.6; and
(b) for Seasons 2014/15 to 2017/18 inclusive, Premier League Rule B.15.6.
4. In respect of each of the Seasons 2015/16 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons on Profitability and Sustainability, namely:
(a) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules E.52 to E.60; and
(b) for Seasons 2016/17 and 2017/18, Premier League Rules E.53 to E.60.
5. In respect of the period from December 2018 to date, the Premier League Rules applicable in the relevant Seasons requiring a member club to cooperate with, and assist, the Premier League in its investigations, including by providing documents and information to the Premier League in the utmost good faith, namely:
(a) for Season 2018/19, Premier League Rules B.16, B.19, W.1, W.2, W.12 and W.13;
(b) for Season 2019/20, Premier League Rules B.16, B.19, W.1, W.2, W.12 and W.13;
(c) for Season 2020/21, Premier League Rules B.16, B.19, W.1, W.2, W.12 and W.13;
(d) for Season 2021/22, Premier League Rules B.15, B.18, W.1, W.2, W.15 and W.16; and
(e) for Season 2022/23, Premier League Rules B.15, B.18, W.1, W.2, W.15 and W.16. Commissions are independent of the Premier League and member clubs. The members of the Commission will be appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel, in accordance with Premier League Rules W.19, W.20 and W.26.
The proceedings before the Commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private. Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the Commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website.
This confirmation is made in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1. The Premier League will be making no further comment in respect of this matter until further notice.