Man City’s ‘clear proof’ revealed in their appeal against the Premier League’s guilty decision
Manchester City has shared their so-called “irrefutable evidence” as part of their appeal against the Premier League’s guilty verdict for the first time.
When the independent commission accused City of breaking almost all of 115 financial rules between 2009 and 2018, they quickly said they were innocent. They promised to fight the verdict using strong proof.
City faces serious penalties for setting up “sham contracts” that boosted revenue and hid expenses by more than £900 million over nine years. Possible punishments might include losing points, being kicked out of the top league, or even having titles taken away.
The Independent Football Regulator says the appeal could be decided early next year. There is a 12-week period for the hearing, plus 30 days for the final decision.
Reports on Monday said some club bosses talked about a possible “interim punishment” after City’s 3-0 win against Liverpool on Sunday. This punishment could mean expulsion if most of the other 15 teams agree under Rule 6B.
Despite all this, City still insists they’re innocent. Their so-called “irrefutable evidence” includes a bunch of emails, letters, and bank records.
The Telegraph shared on October 16 that City’s lawyers plan to show that the commission made “fundamental errors” in their tests. The club is confident because of two key things: bank statements, government records, and receipts they say prove the Abu Dhabi government funded the deals; plus recent proof from Abu Dhabi confirming those records were right.
City’s main point is that the commission missed almost all their evidence showing sponsorship money came from the Abu Dhabi government. Etihad Airways, the state-owned airline that has sponsored City since 2009, also said earlier this month that the claim the Abu Dhabi government paid for their sponsorship is false.
City’s owner, Sheikh Mansour, who is part of the royal family, was reportedly unaware that £830 million of his money was used in deals called “sham” — and that word plays a big part in City’s appeal.
The appeal should wrap up by January 21, when City will find out if their fight to clear their name worked.
For now, though, they can’t escape the spotlight — not just because of this huge Premier League case. After their 3-0 win at Anfield, they were said to have broken Rule K.207 of the Premier League handbook by not letting Enzo Maresca speak to talkSPORT and BBC Radio 5 Live.
This rule says clubs must let at least one player and the manager talk to radio broadcasters after games. City didn’t explain why, but Maresca did talk to Sky Sports and other media in his post-match interview.
City is set to play again at home against Ipswich this Saturday (October 17), after losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.