TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Manchester City‘s Premier League rivals reportedly believe the club could be relegated from the top flight if its appeal against an independent commission’s guilty verdict fails, with many arguing that a one-season points deduction would not be sufficient punishment.
As reported by Sky Sports, rival clubs in England and across Europe believe the punishment should reflect the scale and duration of Manchester City’s alleged financial rule breaches after an independent commission found the club guilty of more than 100 charges covering nine seasons.
City has appealed the commission’s findings and remains adamant that it has done nothing wrong. The club’s legal team has said that a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists” to support its position.
However, a reading of the commission’s decision has highlighted the scale of the challenge facing City’s lawyers ahead of the appeal hearing, which is expected to take place before Christmas.
The commission’s findings are considered particularly serious because the alleged breaches took place over nine seasons and were found to have distorted competition. As a result, rival clubs do not expect City to be playing in the Premier League next season if their appeal is unsuccessful.
Many clubs also believe that a points deduction resulting in only one season outside the top flight would not adequately reflect the duration of the alleged breaches.
City’s relegation would also have an impact on the Premier League‘s current season. It would mean one fewer relegation place, remove one of the title contenders from the competition and potentially open another European qualification spot.
However, self-interest is not the only factor behind the position of rival clubs. The consensus among them is that Premier League rules must apply equally to every club, regardless of its size or status.
The rival clubs will not participate in the sanction hearing, which could take place while City’s appeal process is still ongoing.
The same three-person panel that heard evidence during the 42-day hearing in 2024 and delivered the core decision will determine the sanctions. The Premier League, which brought the case, will submit its recommendation, while City’s lawyers will present their arguments.
The Premier League board will ultimately decide what sanction its lawyers should recommend to the panel.
The issue of sanctions has previously produced significant penalties. In 2023, the Premier League argued that Everton should receive a 12-point deduction for breaching its Profitability and Sustainability Rules. Everton initially received a 10-point deduction before successfully appealing and having the punishment reduced to six points.
With both sides able to appeal the eventual sanction and City already challenging the commission’s judgment, Premier League clubs are preparing for the dispute to continue into next year.
The prolonged legal battle comes as English clubs seek to move away from disputes that have increasingly dominated the game and toward what some executives describe as an “NFL model,” in which the league presents a united front.
That process is unlikely to be complete until the final chapter of the 115-charge case is written.
Carragher Calls for Swift Sanctions
Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has called for any punishment imposed on Manchester City to take effect this season, arguing that the consequences should extend beyond a single campaign.
Speaking to Sky Sports News at the Legends of Football Awards, Carragher said City should face consequences for the following season if the guilty verdict is upheld on appeal.
“It has to be done this season, because Man City need to be affected for next season,” Carragher said.
The independent commission concluded that more than £830 million in owner funding had been used to inflate revenues and allow the club to comply with Premier League and UEFA financial rules through a series of arrangements it described as “sham.”
Carragher argued that a punishment limited to one season would not reflect the length of time over which the alleged rule-breaking occurred.
“I don’t think it can be a one-off punishment for one season, because this has gone on for years and years,” he said.
Sky Sports also reported that Premier League clubs are prepared for the legal dispute to continue for at least another year, with the appeals process and potential sanctions proceedings adding further uncertainty to the case.
Read: Manchester City Appeals Premier League’s Guilty Verdict
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