Manchester City’s rivals are pressing the Premier League to impose a punishment far more severe than relegation to the Championship for a single season, according to club executives who spoke to the Guardian.
The executives argue that one-year relegation would be insufficient given the independent commission’s finding that City orchestrated a “disguised funding scheme” and “sham commercial deals” that artificially inflated their income by £900m between 2009 and 2018. “Relegation to the Championship for one season would be insufficient,” one club source said. “The commission has to arrive at a punishment that is proportionate for years of sustained and deliberate cheating.”
City maintain they are “innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists” supporting their positions. The club has already announced it will appeal the guilty verdict.
The sanctions hearing will likely take place while City’s appeal is decided, a process that must conclude by the end of January 2027 under new Premier League rules. The commission has a range of options available, including points deductions, transfer embargoes and expulsion from the league. There are no comparable precedents given the scale of the offences, according to the independent panel.
Sources
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