Manchester City Found Guilty on 114 Financial Charges by Independent Commission
An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty on 114 of the 115 financial charges brought over the period from 2009 to 2018, putting the club at risk of severe sporting and financial penalties.
Possible sanctions include relegation, major points deductions, fines and the removal of titles won during the period under scrutiny. City are expected to contest both any punishment and potential compensation cases from rival clubs, meaning the final outcome could take months to settle.
What happened
- The commission ruled on 115 charges relating to City’s finances between 2009 and 2018, finding the club guilty on 114 counts.
- The decision raised the prospect of sanctions with no recent equivalent in English football, including the possibility of changing past Premier League title records.
- Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea reacted publicly to the ruling, posting: “So…… Let’s talk. How many Premier League titles have I won then?”
- De Gea’s message pointed to United’s second-place league finishes behind City in 2011-12, 2017-18 and 2020-21.
United and rivals examine damages options
De Gea made more than 500 appearances as United’s first-choice goalkeeper before leaving Old Trafford in 2023. His reference to 2011-12 carries particular weight: United lost the title to City on goal difference.
United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly engaged leading sports lawyers to consider claims for lost prize payments and commercial income linked to the period covered by the case.
The Premier League must now determine how to implement any sanctions while dealing with the consequences for completed seasons and honours already awarded. City are preparing to pursue every available legal route, setting up a potentially lengthy fight over punishments, compensation and the historical record.
