Man City to face the music! Premier League agree date for ‘trial of the century’ over 115 FFP breaches - with huge points deduction still on the table

The allegations were brought against City earlier this year following a five-year probe into purported financial regulation violations. Since the allegations were announced back in February, the Premier League and City have both kept quiet about the matter. However, theThe Daily Mail has revealed that a hearing date for the lawsuit has been scheduled for late autumn of 2024.

City are accused of breaching 115 regulations over the course of 14 seasons from the start of the 2009/2010 campaign. Among these are allegations of falsified financial reporting and noncompliance with the Premier League's probe. The champions have refuted any wrongdoing, and manager Guardiola has recently taken aim at those who demand punishment for City. Furthermore, the Spaniard maintained that he would stay at the Etihad Stadium even if City was proven guilty of the accusations.

While the reports on the Citizens' breaches had cooled down significantly, the issue was pulled back into the limelight after their fellow Premier League side Everton were hit with a 10-point deduction for the current season, after an independent panel found them guilty of breaching the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The deduction saw fanbases enraged as they felt that the defending champions' case had not been dealt with with as much urgency by the Premier League as they had shown in the Toffees' case.

According to the report from the Mail, a resolution might not come until the end of the following season, which is when Guardiola's current contract is set to expire. It is acknowledged that the procedure, which has been extremely private so far, is presently at the phase where witness statements are being obtained; which will probably continue until the spring of next year.

If the trial proceeds as scheduled, a decision would probably be made in the summer of 2025. On the other hand, delays might cause the process to drag on longer. It would be impossible to conceive a scenario in which City would not appeal, should any side deem the final result unacceptable. A situation like that would stretch out the process even further.