Lawyer names 'nuclear' punishment club would struggle to 'handle'

A former Aberdeen star-turned-solicitor has discussed the legal battle involving Manchester City and the Premier League, including the likely punishments Pep Guardiola’s side could face if they are found guilty.

In February 2023, Man City were charged with breaking the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules on 115 occasions between 2009 and 2018, a period in which they won three league titles. Those charges have since been increased to 130.

City vehemently deny any wrongdoing and insist they will fight off the Premier League’s legal challenge in order to clear their name.

But the Premier League allege that City produced inaccurate financial information relating to a variety of areas, including operating costs and sponsorship income.

City have also been accused of failing to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation.

The 12-week hearing took place between September and December last year, and the verdict was expected to be released in either March or over the summer.

However, the announcement has been delayed twice and is now not expected to arrive until October at the earliest.

During an interview with The i Paper, Scottish former defender David Winnie – who is now a sports lawyer for London-based firm Gilson Gray – was asked why fans are still waiting for the verdict to drop. He replied: “There are several reasons why this is taking quite as long as it has.

“Firstly, the sheer volume of charges: there’s a whole swathe of issues that the three-person panel is having to wade its way through in terms of evidence, documents, leaked emails, various disclosure obligations. It’s a pile of stuff.

“And then I think the three-person panel knows the weight of its decision. So I think it wants to get it right.

“The hurdle that it needs to jump here is ‘the balance of probabilities’. But because of the sheer seriousness of the charges, it could actually lead the panel to applying a heightened scrutiny.”

Other clubs could file lawsuits if they are affected by City being punished and getting stripped of points or titles.

“When the decision comes down, and if some of these charges, not even all of them but some of them, are proven, I would not be surprised if other teams in the Premier League jump on the bandwagon, as it were, and start their own proceedings against either the club or the Premier League itself,” Winnie added.

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Man City relegation would be ‘nuclear’ punishment

On what kind of sanctions City can expect if they are found guilty of the most severe charges, Winnie said: “Given the severity and given the sheer number of charges, they have to be seen to be coming down hard.

“[If it were] a fine, you could put any number you want, and Man City will just reach into the back pocket and pay it. To them, a fine is a win.

“You’re then maybe looking at ratcheting up a points deduction that could be potentially applied retrospectively with the past seasons so lost titles.

“I suppose the ultimate would be expulsion from the Premier League. That would be the nuclear option.

“They’ve got restrictions, and potentially on player registrations or conditional punishments or suspended sanctions, or a combination of all of them, but I think the big one for Man City that they don’t want is expulsion from the Premier League. Anything else, they’ll deal with, they can handle.”

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has previously tipped City to receive a 40-50 point deduction.

Stefan Borson, a former financial adviser at the Etihad, has cooled speculation that City’s top stars such as Erling Haaland and Rodri have relegation release clauses in their contracts.

Borson also shut down rumours that the City case has cost both parties £200million combined, insisting it is more likely to be £40-50m.

It emerged on July 31 that sources expect the initial verdict to arrive during the international break in October, which runs from the 4-18. That could then be followed by an appeal from either side.

More on Man City FFP charges case

🌐 Man City FFP: Damning verdict on Premier League relegation as pundit names most likely punishment

🌐 Man City FFP: Premier League has ‘no influence’ over verdict release date – Richard Masters

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