Man City slipped up before the guilty verdict when ‘secret talks’ came to light
Manchester City reportedly made a big mistake that could put their Premier League spot at risk, just before the decision on 115 charges against them. The Premier League confirmed that City was found guilty of 114 of these charges after an independent commission’s review.
Most of the charges involved breaking financial rules between 2009 and 2018, during which City won three league titles and other major trophies. The league’s statement said City used fake contracts to boost their revenue numbers and reduce costs. They also set up hidden funding deals worth over £830 million with commercial partners.
The commission also found City guilty of nearly all charges related to not cooperating with the investigation, noting that some important club witnesses gave false or dishonest evidence.
The punishments could be severe, including suspension from the league, point deductions, replaying matches, expulsion, paying compensation, automatic relegation, or even losing titles.
It seems City and the Premier League had private talks about a possible settlement before the verdict. They might have reached a deal for City to pay a large fine instead of facing harsher penalties, but they didn’t agree in the end. Other Premier League clubs likely wouldn’t support just a financial penalty.
City has appealed the decision and denies any wrongdoing. The club says it has “strong and clear evidence” to prove its case. A club statement said: “We believe there are serious errors in the ruling, and the club is innocent of the accusations.”
City’s coach, Maresca, spoke to the media on October 9 before their game at Liverpool on October 11. Despite the situation, he stayed positive and rejected any idea that City’s past success was now in doubt. He said he completely trusts the club’s owners and staff.
“The reason I joined is that I trust 100% the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, and the whole club,” Maresca said. “We all trust each other, and the right time to talk about this will be when we win the appeal.”
He added, “As players, we can only focus on what happens on the pitch. That’s what we control right now.”
When asked if he would have accepted the job last summer if he’d known about the charges, Maresca said “100% yes.” He explained that the club was honest and believes they will win the appeal.
Right now, City are top of the Premier League, winning all five of their matches so far.