A ruling on the Manchester City case is expected “at any moment,” despite the appeal filed by the club. The “scandal of the century,” as it is now being called, is still unfolding, but initial reports about the nature of the potential penalties have begun to surface.
The Athletic, which revealed City’s guilt last Friday, spoke with a former high-ranking Premier League official, who revealed what the initial penalty proposal was when the case broke in 2023.
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According to journalist Adam Craften, the idea on the table was as follows: “For the next three to five seasons, 20–25 points would be deducted each year. In practice, this would make it nearly impossible for City to qualify for the Champions League, leaving them in the middle of the standings for 3–5 years.”
This proposal did not involve relegation, but rather an effective exclusion from European competition through consecutive points deductions. A penalty that would have had a massive competitive and financial impact, without going as far as the extreme measure of relegation.
For now, everything remains in the realm of speculation. The process is lengthy, and a final decision is still a long way off. However, the range of possible sanctions suggests that the Premier League is considering measures that would profoundly affect City for many years to come.
Meanwhile, *The Times*, through the highly respected Martin Ziegler and Matt Lawton, discusses how the penalty to be imposed on Manchester City will be determined following the independent committee’s ruling that the club was guilty of 114 out of 115 financial violations.
“In the coming weeks, a new three-member committee will hold a hearing of sorts to determine the most appropriate penalty to be imposed on City. The Premier League will make its own recommendations, as clubs in the league are pressing for and expecting a very severe penalty of point deductions, which would also mean City’s relegation,” reporters say.
*photo source: AP
