What is going on at Manchester City? What will they receive? These are the sort of questions that many football fans across England, especially Manchester, are asking lately. In today’s article, we will cover the situation happening at the Etihad Stadium and what the penalties are for the actions that City has made.
Who?
Manchester City are a team based in Manchester and were formed in 1880, but did not become Manchester City as we know them today until 1894. They are also known as City, Citizens, Sky Blues, and Man City to many fans across the country as their nicknames.
They achieved success in what is now known as the Championship in the 20th century, where they played at Maine Road and Hyde Road. During the early 1900s, they won the FA Cup many times and this period in time is entrenched in their club history.
However, in 2008, Manchester City’s fortunes changed forever, and they became one of the richest clubs in the world, at the time, when they got taken over by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development Limited, which led to more success than the club and its fans had ever seen before. This star power they have gained since that day in 2008 led to them claiming 6 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups, 6 EFL Cups, and 3 FA Community Shields from the takeover to the current season.
What’s Happened Recently?
We have previously seen City being banned for two years by UEFA from their Champions League competition in 2020 for breaking their financial fair play rules, which was lifted before the two years had elapsed, but this time we turn to the attention of a battle between the Sky Blues and the Premier League – but again, for financial fair play.
These problems that Man City are alleged to have caused by breaking financial fair play, come in the hundreds after apparently breaching over one hundred FFP regulations. These have all happened in nine years, between 2009 and 2018, in which Manchester City became champions of the Premier League three times. In this period, they also failed to produce accurate financial information that gives a fair view of the club’s finances, especially its profit, related parties, and expenses in running the club.
What Happens Next?
The next part of this story is for Manchester City FC to be penalised for their actions, assuming that they are found guilty of these breaches of the rules. Currently, the football clubs in the Premier League have agreed on a price that City should pay for breaking financial fair play at the top of the English football pyramid. However, the team could only face a small points deduction if found guilty by the independent commission dealing with the situation, as discussed by Sky Sports, a broadcasting company that covers the Premier League and has done since it has been founded, which may only pose a small threat to their Premier League position with the amount of footballing power that they have in their team.
There are also claims that Pep Guardiola, the manager of the City, could leave the high-flying side before the punishments come to fruition, however, this is pure speculation.
It also has to be said that City will be expected to mount a robust defence to these charges, and are rumoured to employ hundreds of lawyers/solicitors, all of whom will doubtless be working hard in the club’s defence.
This battle between the different organisations could take quite some time though, which has taken four years just to get to this stage.
My Thoughts On The Outcome
It’s difficult to see City facing any real repercussions or punishments, to be honest. The most likely scenario is a large (to other companies, not to them) fine, a small points deduction, and perhaps something like a one-season transfer embargo to appease other clubs.
Talk of them being relegated or titles/trophies being removed is just not reasonable, and in my opinion, would never be permitted to happen.
And of course there’s the small but nevertheless important fact that they haven’t yet been found guilty of anything.
Written by Stephen Taylor Propaganda
