Manchester City face decisive hours to learn their punishment after being convicted on 114 of 115 charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. The outcome of the case has now become public, and the club is preparing to appeal the decision before a dedicated commission.
According to "The Athletic", the charges included City's failure to provide accurate financial information across nine seasons, from 2009-2010 to 2017-2018. The club also failed to fully disclose the details of former manager Roberto Mancini's wages during the period from 2009-2010 to 2012-2013.
The violations at the heart of the case cover a golden era for City. They won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four English Football League Cups and one Community Shield.
Premier League regulations allow for a range of punishments depending on the nature of the violations and whether they are proven. City's final punishment has not been determined so far.
List of the potential punishments facing Manchester City:
- An official warning.
- Large financial fines.
- A retrospective points deduction, with the size of the deduction determined according to the seriousness of the violations.
- The stripping of titles the club won during the seasons affected by the decision, if the final punishment stipulates that.
- Being deprived of revenue from UEFA competitions.
- Exclusion from the Premier League and relegation, one of the most severe disciplinary options on the table should the stipulated punishments be applied.
- A ban on registering new players in the team's squads for European competitions.
- Restricting the number of players the club can register in its squad for European competitions.
- Exclusion from UEFA competitions.
- Exclusion from future European competitions.
Reports suggest some punishments could be applied retrospectively, which raises the stakes for City. That could open the door to reviewing previous results or titles, though it remains tied to what the commission decides regarding the final punishment.
City retain the right to appeal. Any punishment will not necessarily mark the end of the legal road in a case considered one of the largest disciplinary files in Premier League history.