Premier League giants are reportedly pushing for Manchester City to be handed a ‘severe’ punishment if they are found guilty of all 115 charges.
City’s ‘Trial of the Century’ finally got underway on Monday following a lengthy investigation into the Premier League champions.
The charges mainly relate to a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018, with City accused of various alleged rule breaches – all of which the club deny.
Several punishments for City, should they be found guilty of all charges, have been suggested – including fines, points deductions and even relegation from the Premier League.
However, City claim they have “irrefutable evidence” to support their defence and “look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
The independent commission overseeing the hearing has the option of expelling the club from the Premier League, as it can impose any sanction ‘it shall think fit’.
Pep Guardiola claimed last week that every other Premier League club wants to see City punished, even before the start of the hearing.
The Telegraph now claim that teams in the top flight ‘believe a points deduction – even one that relegated them to the Championship – would not be suitable’ if City are found guilty of all or the majority of the charges.
City have been accused of failing to provide accurate financial information, failing to provide accurate details for player and manager payments, breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSR), failing to comply with UEFA regulations including financial fair play (FFP) and failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations.
Give the scale of the alleged rule breaches, rival Premier League clubs are said to be pushing for a more ‘severe’ punishment that could ‘throw English football into turmoil’.
If City were demoted one division, they would be favourites to be immediately promoted the following season given their financial might.
The Telegraph report that one alternative proposed by a senior figure in the game would be for points deductions to be applied across multiple seasons, to impact their ability to challenge for honours or promotion.
While the independent commission has the power to expel City from the Premier League, it does not have the power to demote them to a particular league.
The commission has no jurisdiction over the likes of the English Football League [EFL] or National League. Therefore, expelling City would force them to apply to enter the EFL.
While the EFL would have no obligation to make them a member, the commercial benefits of having a club the size of City in the lower leagues of English football would be a huge incentive to accept them.
It has been suggested that this could result in City being admitted as a member in a lower EFL division than the Championship – potentially even League Two.
This would also satisfy those clubs that have demanded a harsh penalty on the Premier League champions.
City have denied any wrongdoing and are confident of proving their innocence in the coming months.
The Premier League champions were first charged in February 2023 after a four-year investigation into the club.
City have won the league eight times since 2012, including six of the last seven titles.
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