Manchester City have been charged by the Premier League after a statement on Monday alleged several financial breaches from the reigning champions.
This comes as a result of an investigation into the club spanning four years, which will now be referred to an independent Commission.
The full Premier League statement reads: “In accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club (Club) to a Commission under Premier League Rule W.3.4.”
The statement goes on to list said breaches with five separate points made on the rulings, before adding: “Commissions are independent of the Premier League and member clubs.
The members of the Commission will be appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel, in accordance with Premier League Rules W.19, W.20 and W.26.
“The proceedings before the Commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private.
Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the Commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website.
This confirmation is made in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1. The Premier League will be making no further comment in respect of this matter until further notice.”
It is currently unclear how long it will take for an outcome to be reached, although City manager Pep Guardiola has previously admitted that he would leave the club if any financial wrongdoings were proven.
The Citizens were initially handed a Champions League ban back in February 2020 after UEFA’s club financial control body found them guilty of a “serious breach” of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, but on appeal that was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“I am the spokesman for this club and every few days I’m here [in a press conference]. Every single word I said in all my press conferences, even if people don’t believe me, is because I truly, truly believe it. Why did I defend the club and the people? It’s because I work with them,” said Guardiola back in May 2022.
“When they are accused of something I ask them ‘tell me about that’, they explain and I believe them. I said to them ‘if you lie to me, the day after I am not here’. I will be out and I will not be your friend anymore.
“I put my faith in you because I believe you 100% from day one and I defend the club because of that. When you put something here [sponsor on a shirt] it’s overpaid, but other [clubs] the money comes from the USA but the money is correct, even if it’s higher. We have to deal with that, we have to fight with that.”
