Manchester City
Manchester City will face a hearing over their 115 charges for alleged breaches of Premier League rules. But what exactly are they accused of doing?
It has been rumbling on for more than 18 months but the end is finally in sight. Manchester City's hearing with the Premier League into the club's 115 charges for allegedly breaching financial rules begins on Monday.
The charges, which were announced on February 6 2023, have threatened to overshadow City's incredible achievements on the pitch before and since details of the investigation were revealed.
Pep Guardiola's side won the Premier League title that May and then completed the treble by winning the FA Cup and the Champions League. And the following season they made English football history by becoming the first team ever to win four consecutive league titles.
But with each success there have been questions from the media and rival fans about the charges, and when the outcome of the investigation will be announced. That day is getting closer and closer, and the first step towards it will be taken on Monday, when what many are dubbing 'the sports trial of the century' finally begins.
GOAL explains the key details as City prepare to do battle with the Premier League...
What are the 115 charges?
According to the Premier League's statement released at the time, City were charged with 54 counts of failing to provide accurate financial information for the seasons 2009-10 until 2017-18. They also failed to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18 on 14 occasions.
Five charges related to their failure to comply with UEFA's rules including Financial Fair Play (FFP) from 2013-14 to 2017-18. A further seven charges are for breaching the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) rules, from 2015-16 until 2017-18.
The final 35 charges are for failing to co-operate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 until Feb 2023.
When does the case start & how long will it last?
Although neither City nor the Premier League have confirmed a date, the hearing has been widely reported to start on Monday. According to the BBC, it will take around 10 weeks to conclude and a verdict is expected in early 2025.
How will City be punished if they are found guilty?
According to The Times, City will face the threat of relegation from the Premier League if the most serious allegations are proven.
What have City said?
When the charges were first announced in February 2023, the club put out a statement saying: "Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.
"The Club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position. As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all."
What has Pep Guardiola said?
Guardiola has repeatedly stated his belief that City are "completely innocent" and lamented the fact that they have been judged before the outcome of the hearing has been revealed.
And on Friday he said he was looking forward to the case being brought to a close. "I'm happy it starts on Monday and there will be more rumours and we're going to see," he said. "I know what people are looking for because I have read it for many years but I've said everyone is innocent until guilt is proven."
However, he said the hearing was not on the players' minds. "We're going to wait and see. Erling is not a lawyer so we didn't talk about it," he added. "What is going to happen is with the independent panel and we will accept the sentence."
What have the Premier League said?
League chief Richard Masters has spoken little about the case in order for the process to be kept confidential but last month he declared it was the right time for the case to be heard. "It is time now for it to resolve itself," he told the BBC. "It's been going on for a number of years and I think it's self-evident that the case needs to be heard and answered."
Explaining why the process had not been more transparent, he added: "Quite simply, it's not within our rules to be able to do so. What we do is we publish charges when they are made and we publish decisions when they are made. The bit in between is managed by an independent panel and they're very clear that they want that process to be confidential."
Where is the hearing taking place?
The hearing is being held at an unknown location in order to keep the process confidential.
