Football Genius

Football finance explained. Revenue, wages, transfers and the numbers behind the game. Weekly deep dive 👇

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

I read the 2024/25 accounts of Premier League clubs so you don't have to. Revenue is growing, but wage bills are up 8.6%, so costs are rising faster. Here's what four clubs show 🧵

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

🚨 Erling Haaland is taking Norwegian to court! ✈️⚖️

Haaland and his company, York Promotions Ltd., have filed a lawsuit against Norwegian, claiming the airline unlawfully used his image and distinctive appearance in its World Cup marketing without permission.

Norwegian shared an edited image of a plane featuring Haaland’s famous blonde ponytail, alongside the slogan: “We’ve never looked more Norwegian.” 👀🇳🇴

The case concerns an alleged violation of Norway’s Marketing Control Act.

What do you think? 🤔👇
#haaland #mancity #football

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

@XolidCity If Rui Pinto deserves 25 years in prison for hacking, what do you think the punishment should be for those who allegedly falsified the documents? Stoning?

[Topskills Sports UK @topskillsportuk]

🚨💣 BREAKING: Rui Pinto, the hacker who exposed information about Manchester City, claims he still has MORE unreleased material on the club! 😳🔵

Pinto says the information is “explosive” and claims he has lived under heavy police protection for years after receiving death threats. 😬⚠️

His latest comments could add another layer to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding Manchester City. 👀

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

@premierleague There is only one answer🔥🔥

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

🚨 BREAKING: Switzerland has WITHDRAWN its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain FIFA president.

Yes — Switzerland. Infantino’s own football association.

And this could be more significant than it first appears. 🧵👇

The Swiss FA originally backed Infantino’s 2027 candidacy in June.

Now, just months later, that support is gone.

The decision was made after what the federation described as a reassessment of recent developments surrounding FIFA.

Switzerland is also far from alone.

Several national associations have withdrawn or withheld their support in recent months, while criticism of FIFA’s governance, transparency and decision-making has continued to grow.

Infantino announced in May that he would seek another term as FIFA president in 2027.

At the time, his position appeared extremely strong.

But the political landscape around FIFA is now becoming much more complicated.

The abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise project has been one of the major flashpoints, while European football organisations have increasingly called for greater transparency and stronger checks on FIFA’s leadership and decision-making.

And now Infantino has lost the backing of his own country’s football association.

That doesn’t decide the election — FIFA has 211 member associations, and Infantino continues to have support from many federations around the world.

But Switzerland changing its position is another sign that the consensus around his leadership is being challenged.

The big question:

Is this simply European opposition to Infantino growing louder — or are we beginning to see a genuine shift inside FIFA ahead of the 2027 election?

And if Infantino does face a serious challenger, who should it be? 👀 #fifa #infantino

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

@StretfordEndx @GraemeBailey Lucas da Cunha is a solid defensive midfielder who wins the ball a lot and can start a good attack with his passing. I think he could be a great signing for Manchester United, but I can't see Como selling him anytime soon. He reminds me a lot of Fabinho.

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

He's an incredibly good player and deserves a new contract at Bayern Munich. The problem is that I would have liked to see him play for another club, either in La Liga or the Premier League. I think he would have earned the same money, just with slightly better PR, which would have made him a clear favourite for the Ballon d'Or in my eyes if he had played for Liverpool, Real Madrid or Barcelona.

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

He's an incredibly good player and deserves a new contract at Bayern Munich. The problem is that I would have liked to see him play for another club, either in La Liga or the Premier League. I think he would have earned the same money, just with slightly better PR, which would have made him a clear favourite for the Ballon d'Or in my eyes if he had played for Liverpool, Real Madrid or Barcelona.

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

Arsenal, United, Liverpool and Spurs reserved the right to claim early because of the statute of limitations, while other clubs are probably too late. Nothing is decided yet: City will appeal, sanctions haven't been set, and clubs would still have to prove actual financial losses. Look at Burnley vs Everton as the precedent 👇

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

Jamie is absolutely right here. If they’re allowed to continue running the club after all of this, what would actually stop them from doing it again?

The titles should be stripped too, but I can’t help thinking it would leave a bitter taste for Liverpool and Manchester United if those trophies were simply handed to them.

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

16/16 🤔

And this is why Guardiola is such a fascinating figure.

He speaks about human rights.

He speaks about politics.

He supports Catalan independence.

He has spoken passionately about Gaza and other humanitarian issues.

But his career has also been intertwined with:

🇶🇦 Qatar
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi
💰 Offshore finance
💣 Financial-rule controversies
🧪 A historic doping case
🏛️ Club politics
🕵️ Leaked information
⚖️ Legal battles
🎗️ Political activism
Some of these controversies were resolved in Guardiola's favour.
Some concern his employers rather than him personally.
Some are simply allegations.
And some remain unanswered questions.
So what do YOU think? 👀
Is Pep Guardiola simply an extraordinary football manager who has repeatedly found himself in complicated environments…
or is there a much darker political and financial story behind the Guardiola era?
Where do you draw the line? 👇

🍿

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

🧵 PEP GUARDIOLA: THE DARKER SIDE

We all know the story.

Trophies. 🏆
Tiki-taka. 🧠
Barcelona. Bayern. Manchester City.
But Guardiola's career has also been surrounded by politics, money, leaked documents, tax questions, doping allegations, state ownership and some very uncomfortable contradictions.
Some are facts.
Some are allegations.
Some remain speculation.

Let's go down the rabbit hole. 👇

[Football Genius @TheSportsCFO]

15/16 🤯 And here's the uncomfortable part

The alleged financial misconduct covers years that overlap with Guardiola's Manchester City era.

There is no finding that Guardiola personally participated in the alleged scheme.

But his entire City legacy was built during the period now under the biggest financial cloud in Premier League history.

So the question isn't necessarily:

“Did Guardiola cheat?”

There is no evidence establishing that.

The more interesting question is:

How much of Guardiola's success should be viewed through the financial and political system surrounding Manchester City?