Football: Mystery and suspense surround a possible Manchester City conviction

The possibility of Manchester City being convicted of multiple financial offences continues to generate a lot of discussion on Saturday, a sprawling case with geopolitical ramifications that is shaking the entire Premier League ecosystem.

The northwest England giant, which came under Emirati ownership in 2008, has been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges against it for the period 2009-2018, according to revelations made Friday by The Athletic newspaper.

The club has retreated behind its past communications, pending the appeal process, and the Premier League has opted for radio silence, which offers a striking contrast to the deluge of commentary and reactions that has swept across England.

"Fans need to know that the rules are being applied fairly and consistently," said Sports Minister Lisa Nandy on BBC 5 Live. But, pending the final verdict, "it's very unsettling for fans and I hope this can be resolved as quickly as possible."

Manchester City is suspected of circumventing regulations to illegally boost the club's finances through sponsorships linked to the owner, and of paying undeclared salary supplements, among other things. The Premier League launched the investigation in February 2023.

Specter of sanctions

The spectrum of possible sanctions includes financial penalties, a recruitment ban, a points deduction with a risk of relegation to a lower division, or even exclusion from the championship.

"All I would say is that money is not enough, unfortunately something more radical than that would be needed," admitted David Bernstein, a former chairman of the club, on Times Radio.

"The sanction must not only be severe, it must also be long-lasting," added sports journalist Henry Winter to AFP. He suggested, for example, an immediate 50-point deduction, which would relegate the club to the second division, and "a sort of 20-point handicap at the start of the following two seasons" when they return to the Premier League.

The issue of titles won by Manchester City during the period in question also raises numerous questions. "Manchester United came very close to winning the title in two of those seasons, as did Liverpool. They could therefore have a claim for compensation if Manchester City's appeal fails," he said.

"A national and international matter"

The dispute could also come from clubs relegated at that time, or from those that failed to qualify for European competition. All of them could flood the courts and claim astronomical damages.

"If you add up all these claims, over nine years, and that's just in the Premier League, you see that the potential for this to get out of control is immense," said Christian Purslow, a former Liverpool and Aston Villa executive, on Radio 4.

A conviction of Manchester City could also lead to individual legal proceedings against the management, Henry Winter further noted in his interview with AFP.

In any case, this affair could have "considerable repercussions" and not just in the world of football, he adds. "It has an impact on the Manchester economy, on the issues in the northwest, and on geopolitical elements between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, which are in fact the owners of Manchester City. (...) It's a national and international affair, and it's going to last for quite some time."

Leaders before the current international break, the Citizens will travel to Liverpool on October 11 for the restart, where the reception promises to be heated.

AFP