Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been crystal clear that if the club is convicted of doing something seriously illegal, he is finished. – It is also said that Erling Braut Haaland’s biggest reason for coming to the sky blues and staying is the Spanish manager.
The Premier League’s financial case is entering a crucial phase with huge consequences possible if the club is found guilty.
Manchester City’s protracted battle with the Premier League over what has become known as the “115 indictments” has reached a crucial point, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
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Manchester City could get a 60-point stretch in unprecedented 115-point indictment scandal
According to financial experts who are following the case closely, the club could face a staggering 60-point stretch if the most serious charges are upheld. Such a sanction would not only derail their current season, but potentially send the club from title contention into a relegation battle.
As of right now, Manchester City have 59 points in second place in the Premier League, while Wolverhampton occupy last place with 10 points.
City have consistently denied all accusations of wrongdoing, and the team claims that their conduct has been in accordance with the league’s rules.
But the case, which revolves around alleged violations of financial fair play and other Premier League rules, has dragged on since the charges were formally laid out almost three years ago, in February 2023.
At the heart of the dispute lies an extensive collection of accusations spanning nine seasons, which, according to the Premier League, involve incorrect financial reporting and failure to cooperate with investigations.
The independent hearing ended at the end of 2024, but more than a year later, no verdict has yet to be announced.
Football economics specialist Kieran Maguire has emerged as a leading voice when it comes to the potential severity of the penalty. Speaking to The Overlap, Maguire explained why a points deduction, rather than relegation, is the only realistic sporting sanction available under Premier League rules.
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What the punishment will mean
Maguire’s assessment underlines how far this case can deviate from previous precedents. While smaller clubs have faced modest sanctions in the past, such as Everton’s six-point streak for a three-year violation, the extensive scope of City’s alleged offenses suggests a punishment potentially ten times greater.
“You have to add a zero to what we’ve seen,” Maguire said, placing a 40- to 60-point stretch well within the reach of logic based on historical matters.
According to Premier League regulations, the league cannot unilaterally relegate a club to the English Football League (EFL), which means that City cannot be relegated to the third or fourth division as some commentators have speculated.
Instead, any sporting sanction must come in the form of lost points in the top division, which could have had equally dramatic effects.
A points haul of this magnitude would not only weaken Manchester City’s title hopes but could send them into a relegation battle.
Such an outcome would reverberate throughout English football and reshape the landscape of the current Premier League season, with potential ripple effects for rivals near the bottom of the table.
“How can you sit in a meeting room with other members of the Premier League… when this accusation is proven?” continued Maguire. “Fraud is a very serious accusation… The board must go, and that could involve a complete restructuring of the club.”
City’s confidence, however, has not wavered. The club insists it has “an extensive body of incontrovertible evidence” to clear its name, particularly when it comes to accusations of non-cooperation, a core component of the 115 charges.
But for rivals and neutral spectators, the lack of a final decision has only prolonged the uncertainty. With large amounts of evidence presented from both sides, the process has taken far longer than originally thought, and many in the sport believe that a decision could still come before the end of the current season.
The next game for Manchester City is at Elland Road against Leeds on Saturday.
