Analysis of the charges against Man City and how it could Affect Arsenal and the EPL . Trial starts today
09/16/2024 06:25 AM
Monday will see the start of what some in Football are calling the 'Trial of the century'.
JustArsenal will be updating you on anything relevant in a case that is expected to take 10 weeks to be heard by an independent hearing.
Man, City face 115 charges for breaking Financial Rules spread over 14 seasons which covers the entire tenure of its current ownership.
If you're wondering why this would be on a site dedicated to Arsenal, then you don't understand the impact this will have on the future of the Sport in the UK. Not just does it impact the Gunners but every stakeholder of every club in Britain.
For the Premier League it's embarrassing – whatever the verdict. They either have the most dominant side of their competition in the last decade overshadowed by the fact they cheated, or realise that their own rules have been manipulated and, in that event, will continue to be so.
It's not great for the brand of 'The best League in The World' either way but long term the governing body need to show that they can implement their own policies. If not, their own legislation becomes redundant and suddenly the inmates are running the asylum.
I will try to cover this process without any bias.
Therefore, it should be stressed that Man City have always insisted their innocence and maintain they have the evidence that proves this.
Pep Guardiola, on more than one occasion, has said that if anything is revealed different to what he's been told by his employers, he would walk away.
I'm of course not a legal expert, but it does beg the question if the accused have the proof to make this go away why wouldn't they hand it over after 20 months of living with these accusations?
While they managed to overturn UEFA kicking them out of Europe on appeal in 2020 one of the charges that did stick (which they were fined for) was a failure to cooperate.
Their justification at the time was not trusting the process, and while they haven't expressed that this time, they do believe this is discrimination against the Middle East building sport portfolios, with jealous rivals simply putting on the pressure for their own self-interest.
While Sheikh Mansoor can and has afforded the best legal team in the world to find any loophole to, at the very least, receive the lightest sanction possible, there's been talk that other Billionaire owners in the topflight would be willing to support the Prem, who are not used to these kinds of costs. Hence why (including any appeal) City can afford to drag this on and on.
The Premiership has been one of the greatest brands England have ever created, especially marketing it abroad. Like when the Super League was suggested, the government won't be happy that the future of their national game might now come down to who can afford the best lawyers. Hence why they want to govern the game.
During the International break, Leicester's lawyers found flaws in the rules to avoid a points deduction for the Foxes. Now the same company have to essentially take on a State!
It should be pointed out though that Man City are being accused of a lot more serious levels of cheating than Everton and Forest faced last season. While some of the 115 charges will relate to the same offense, there's so many breaches that this is complex, hence why it's taken this long for the case to he heard.
54 of the charges are a failure to provide accurate financial information between 2009-2018
14 charges relate to proving where the revenue comes from to pay their players and manager. Believed to particularly include how they attracted and paid Mancini although between 2010-2016 they are alleged to have also left out details of how players are paid.
5 charges are between 2013- 2018 for not following UEFA FFP rules.
Dealing with UEFA themselves, they managed to overturn being kicked out of Europe due to CAS saying Europe's governing body were time barred. That can't happen in this case
7 charges relate to breaking the Prems own FFP rules between 2015-18. That usually entails how much money a club is allowed to lose or how much profit they make, and where that revue comes from.
35 charges are between 2018 – 2023 for a failure to cooperate with the inquiry.
This is a charge City accepted from UEFA but only because they didn't trust them and not an admission of guilt.
Guilt could lead to a fine, points deduction or even relegation
JustArsenal will keep you updated
Dan
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