Former Manchester City chairman David Bernstein warned that the club could face “drastic” sanctions after a reported guilty verdict on all but one of 115 charges for breaching Premier League financial rules. The Premier League has yet to issue an official statement, and no punishment has been announced.
City were charged in 2023 following an investigation into alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018. The accusations include failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, breaching financial sustainability rules, and not cooperating with the investigation. An independent commission began hearing the case in September 2024.
A club spokesperson said the position had not changed, noting that “the club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair‑minded regulator, free from partisan influence.” The club is expected to appeal if the charges are upheld.
“The appeal process cannot go on for year after year, I think that would be a disaster,” Bernstein told Times Radio. “If they are found, after the appeal, guilty of the charges, my beloved club is going to face a very severe penalty. All I would say is that money is not sufficient, it would have to be something, unfortunately, more drastic than that.”
Oasis star and City fan Noel Gallagher expressed shock at the developments. “Surprised because only that the club have assured us all along that they vehemently denied any of these charges. So it was a bit of a shock to find out that we’ve been found guilty of all but one. But really overall just quite sad really. Sad for the fans and for the players,” he said on the Let Me Talk podcast.
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described the case as “unsettling” for football fans and called for a swift resolution. If the guilty verdicts are confirmed, sanctions could include a severe points deduction and even expulsion from the Premier League, mirroring the points deductions imposed on Everton and Nottingham Forest in the 2023/24 season for single breaches of profit and sustainability rules. In 2020, UEFA had imposed a two‑year European ban and a fine on City for breaking financial fair‑play rules, a ban that was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Under Sheikh Mansour’s ownership since 2008, Manchester City have become a dominant force in English football, winning eight Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and multiple other trophies over the past 15 years. The latest developments come just months after former manager Pep Guardiola left the club following a golden decade in charge at the Etihad, a period during which he also backed the club’s stance on the charges but threatened to walk away if proven true.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
