The Premier League accused and charged Manchester City with over 100 alleged violations of the league’s financial regulations back in February 2023. Football fans all throughout the world have been waiting for a verdict for the past two years, curious to know what punishment Man City would receive if they are proven guilty.
A verdict has not yet been rendered, nonetheless, in spite of the case’s seriousness and the attention it has gotten in recent years. However, Pep Guardiola stated in February that he believes a ruling will be rendered within the next month, suggesting that the outcome of the legal struggle between City and the Premier League may be known shortly.
An Update on the Outcome Verdict from David Ornstein
An announcement was anticipated.
David Ornstein, a journalist for The Athletic, has now provided an update on when a decision would be made and made public. “People have been saying things like ‘imminent,’ ‘this week,’ and ‘tomorrow’ for ages now, and that shows most of us simply don’t know – probably only a small number involved in the process do,” Ornstain stated in his most recent Q&A.
“Spring has been the expectation at Man City, and if that’s the case, we’re into it.” But it would also mean that we might have to wait until the end of June!
Plus, it’s mostly conjecture and could change as long as we don’t have any concrete information from the Premier League, City, or other parties involved.
“The nature of the announcement is another unknown. Will the decision be as clear-cut as many are expecting? Perhaps it’s an anti-climax. How much information is there going to be to sort through? What comes next? Will appeals take place, and if so, how long may they take? You have a suspicion that this process is far from complete.
Man City’s Expenses in Challenging Charges
The amount they’ve spent is astounding.
City officials have always expressed confidence in their ability to clear their name and have assured Pep Guardiola and the team not to be concerned about the accusations because they are certain they will be found not guilty. The amount of money they have spent trying to clear their name has now come to light.
The Sun claims that by the end of the 2023–24 season, City had spent £30,596,000 on legal fees, according to the most recent financial statements released by City Football Group. That amount, or £205,000 per week, represented an increase of about £10.7 million over the previous 12 months. It is anticipated that this season’s bill would exceed that total and be the largest to date.
Lord Pannick might have benefited greatly from the expenditure. The club engaged the well-known attorney to head their legal department in February of last year, and it has been stated that he charges almost £5,000 per hour. If the Manchester club is exonerated of all charges, the money they have spent defending themselves will have been worthwhile.
