Manchester City found guilty on 114 of 115 charges, Premier League titles at risk

Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League over alleged financial breaches, with the club now facing the possibility of severe sanctions, including the potential loss of Premier League titles.

The verdict, reached by an independent commission after an eight-year process, was reported by The Athletic, which cited sources briefed on the matter. Sanctions have not yet been decided and all possibilities remain on the table. City are expected to appeal against the verdict.

The club maintained that the Premier League process was still ongoing and stressed that significant elements of the case were yet to be completed.

"The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence," a Manchester City spokesperson told The Athletic.

City were charged in February 2023 after a four-year Premier League investigation into alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018. The club were accused of failing to provide accurate financial information, including details relating to payments made to players and coaches.

The charges also covered alleged breaches of UEFA's financial fair play regulations and the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules.

City have consistently denied the allegations.

The verdict could have major implications for City's record over the period covered by the charges, although the precise punishment will depend on the sanctions eventually imposed.

Premier League rules allow for a range of potential penalties, including fines, points deductions and expulsion from the competition. A retrospective points deduction could alter the standings of previous seasons and potentially affect the validity of titles won during the period under investigation.

City have won eight Premier League titles since Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group completed its takeover of the club in 2008. Six of those titles came after the beginning of the period covered by the Premier League's charges.

The club have also won four FA Cups, seven League Cups and the Champions League under Mansour's ownership, establishing themselves as one of the dominant forces in English football.

The Premier League investigation followed the publication of leaked financial documents by German magazine Der Spiegel in November 2018.

The documents prompted scrutiny of City's financial arrangements and led to a lengthy investigation into the club's dealings between 2009 and 2018.

After completing its investigation, the Premier League charged City in February 2023 and referred the case to an independent commission.

City responded at the time by saying they were "surprised" by the charges and welcomed the opportunity for an independent commission to examine what the club described as the "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" supporting its position.

The club's position has remained unchanged throughout the case.

The Premier League case is separate from City's previous dispute with UEFA over financial fair play regulations.

In February 2020, UEFA imposed a two-year ban from European competitions and a 30 million Euros fine on City following its investigation into the Der Spiegel revelations.

City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned the two-year ban five months later. CAS ruled that the alleged FFP breaches had either not been established or were time-barred under UEFA's regulations.

However, CAS found City guilty of failing to cooperate with UEFA's investigation by not providing substantial amounts of evidence. It described the breach as "severe" and said it needed to be "seriously reproached".

The fine was subsequently reduced to 8.8 million pounds.

The Premier League case has been running independently of that UEFA process. With City now reportedly found guilty on 114 charges, the focus shifts to the commission's sanctions and the club's expected appeal.- Ends