Savvy Football Desk ⚽

Tactical Analysis | Match Reactions | Premier League | Manchester United Perspective | Football Business | Daily debates.

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

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[TobyWrites @tobyasky]

For those who don’t really know about the Man City charges, let me summarise for you, especially what the 115 charges are.

The whole summary of this case is that Man City were spending more than they were earning for 9 years (2009-2018)

Their Arab owners were pumping money into the club, but they were covering it up as sponsorship deals and legit revenue.

In fact, in that 9 years, they had an Abu-Dhabi sponsorship for instance, that paid about £120m, but City declared about £950m.

Let’s not forget why FFP & PSR rules exist. The idea is make sure that clubs are not spending more than they’re earning. Man City wanted to spend more than they were earning, so they inflated their sponsorship revenues.

The way City were caught was even funnier. A hacker stumbled on an email in 2018 and that’s how it got out. If not for this hacker, maybe nobody would have ever known.

The Premier League & UEFA began investigation. UEFA found them guilty, banned them for 2 years and fined them €30m. City went to CAS, think of CAS as the Supreme Court in Sports, they’re also independent.

CAS lifted the ban UEFA gave City & reduced the fine to €10m. The €10m was because City did not cooperate with the investigation.

Regarding the shady sponsorship deals, CAS said UEFA had insufficient evidence. Secondly, UEFA has a time limit where they can only prosecute within 5 years (their own rule). One of the main sponsorship deals was an Etisalat deal in 2012/13, and UEFA were bringing it up in 2019.

CAS said it was more than 5 years and that’s how UEFA kinda lost the case. On the other hand, Premier League does not have a time limit, hence, they can investigate cases as far back as 2009.

Many of you always say “115 charges”, but do you know what these charges are?

1. Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation (2009-2018) - 14 charges

2. Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information (2009-2018) - 54 charges

3. Failure to comply with UEFA's regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations - 5 charges

4. Breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) regulations (2015-2018) - 7 charges

5. Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations (2018-2023) - 35 charges

Most of these were not under Pep. They happened before Pep. It’s reported that they were under Hughes, Mancini, and Pellegrini. In this timeframe, Man City won 3 premier leagues, first was the AGUERROOOOOOO moment. They also won 1 FA Cup and 3 League Cups.

For the 14 charges (number 1), I read somewhere that City were paying a manager a different wage from what was reported, for 4 years (only Mancini spent 4 years, so it’s allegedly the one).

For Pep Guardiola, the major breach that happened under him was the cooperation part (35 charges). City were not cooperating with the investigation.

Lastly, City has 14 days to appeal which is due this Friday. The appeal will go to an independent panel for review. Don’t forget what the Premier League called all of those deals, “sham” deals.

I watched City Group’s CEO earlier today, Ferran Soriano. He said they have irrefutable evidence that they did nothing wrong. He’s standing on business.

Anyways, I’d leave you to what City chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak said in 2014. He said he would rather spend £30m on the best 50 lawyers in the world and sue UEFA for the next 10 years than agree a financial penalty for alleged FFP breaches. He might want to apply this to the Premier League.

There are different punishments if City lose the appeal, but the premier league does not have standalone punishments per breach for now, so it’s how they deem fit.

What is most likely to happen is Points deduction and fine just like that of Everton, maybe a transfer ban too. I might be welcoming Enzo and Haaland to Bramall Lane next season, I’ll definitely get a picture💃🏼

Hope this was easy to understand?

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

I agree. Nigerian football has been an eye sore.

[TobyWrites @tobyasky]

I have an opinion and I believe many people share the same. I feel like if you’re not playing regular football or doing well in your club, you should not be invited.

Ndidi barely plays for Besiktas, sometimes he’s even an unused sub, I think he started only one game all season. Yet, he’ll he called and captain us.

I watch loads of championship games, Osayi has not been good for Birmingham City this season, yet he was called ahead of Alebiosu. I have watched every of their games, you can never tell me Osayi has been better than Alebiosu.

Lookman? Extremely poor for Atletico but he’s been played out of position at the start of the season which probably distorted his rhythm, you can excuse him maybe.

Akor Adams? Just type his name on my timeline, the other day I was shouting, someone said he’s been good for Venezia.

Moses Simon, these records are available if you don’t even watch, their last game he was an unused sub, he’s usually on the bench, barely plays.

Nwabali just got a club recently, Maduka Okoye and Arthur Okonkwo are sitting on the bench for Nwabali. These are players playing at a very high level.

Bruno Onyemaechi is chopping bench in Olympiacos, please go and check these things. Our number one left back is not a regular in Greek league not premier league o.

What I’m trying to say is that, it is not fluke that we’re playing like this. These guys don’t play regular football.

We should call those who play regularly, we should stop calling players based on name. Heaven will not fall if we don’t invite Ndidi or Simon.

It is not coincidence that guys like Iwobi, Bassey, Ajayi are the only shining light in the squad, it’s not a fluke. It is because they’re playing regularly at a high level.

[Daniel Hussey @DanielHussey2]

Man City’s Disguised Funding Scheme:

Sponsorship Fees:

Season - Total (Actually Paid)

2009/10 - £27.0m (£4.5m)
2010/11 - £41.25m (£12.75m)
2011/12 - £86.75m (£16.0m)
2012/13 - £121.75m (£16.0m)
2013/14 - £127.5m (£16.0m)
2014/15 - £123.2m (£16.0m)
2015/16 - £136.17 (£16.0m)
2016/17 - £140.59 (£11.0m)
2017/18 - £145.73m (£11.0m)

Total - £949.94m (£119.25m)

So sponsors were only liable for the £119.25m total figure, with the £830.69m additional shareholder funding disguised as ‘commercial partner revenue’.

[Ajoje⚽⚖️ @israel_ajoje]

The Premier League has spoken as Manchester City have been found guilty. Now I want to explain what that actually means, because a lot of what you will read on this app today is wrong.

On Tuesday, the Premier League confirmed that an independent Commission found City guilty of every charge relating to serious breaches of its financial rules between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons. They were also found guilty of most of the charges about failing to co-operate with the League's investigation. The charges were first brought in February 2023, and it took a four-year investigation and a 42-day hearing to get here.

In plain English, the Commission found three things. City arranged "sham" contracts with some of its commercial partners, meaning the paper said one thing while the real agreement was something else. Those deals made the club's revenue look bigger and its costs look smaller than they really were.

Because of that, the accounts City filed were misstated, and the true state of the club's finances was hidden from its auditors and from football's regulators. And City were significantly over both the Premier League's and UEFA's spending limits.

But guilty is not the same as punished, and this is the part people are skipping. The sanctions will be decided separately at another private hearing. The possible outcomes range from a heavy fine to a points deduction, and even relegation.

City also have until Friday, 2 October, to appeal. So as of today, nobody has been relegated and not a single point has been deducted.

Now, this is where it gets interesting for lawyers. In 2020, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned UEFA's two-year Champions League ban on City, largely because many of the allegations were too old to be pursued under UEFA's time limits, and the fine was cut to €10 million. This case is different. It sits under the Premier League's own rules, and an appeal goes to a Premier League Appeal Board, not to CAS. The route that saved City in 2020 is not the same route this time.

The co-operation finding matters more than people think. In almost any disciplinary process, a party found to have obstructed the investigation does not usually get much sympathy when the punishment is being decided. Three of the four alleged breaches of the duty to co-operate were upheld.

And City may not be the only ones heading to court. Other clubs have already reserved the right to seek compensation. Think about the clubs that were relegated, missed out on Europe or lost prize money in those nine seasons while City were operating outside the rules. I would not be surprised if their lawyers are already reading this decision line by line.

In September 2024, Pep Guardiola said the independent panel would decide and City would accept the sentence. The club's first reaction today was that it is "disappointed and surprised." On Friday, we will find out whether the club agrees with its manager.

My name is Ajoje. I am a FIFA Licensed Agent and International Sports Lawyer. I write on the Law and Business of Football, a lot. Repost and Follow if you want to read more posts like this.

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

I wonder why Fabrizio's just coming to the party now. 🤔

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: Premier League confirm an independent Commission has found Manchester City GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.

The club has the right to appeal the independent Commission’s findings and has until Friday 2 October to exercise that right.

The Premier League Board’s intention is that the full process (including any appeals and publication of relevant decisions) is concluded as soon as possible.

The independent Commission found that between Seasons 2009/10 and 2017/18:
- Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on ‘sham’ agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs
- The club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators
- Manchester City was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits
- During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld)

[UEFA Champions League @ChampionsLeague]

18-years-old 👶
Hat-trick hero 🎩

Wayne Rooney's Champions League debut ▶️

#UCL

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

114.

[Mr Imbuya @Imbuya_media]

Aljazeera explains the whole Man City "cheating scandal" in the simplest way possible.

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

Legd!!!

[Wayne Rooney @WayneRooney]

22 years ago 🤦🏻‍♂️ Debut memories ❤️

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

@WayneRooney @ManUtd Legend! You made me "love" football and follow United.

Tell me what Rooney can't do as an outfield player and I'll show you a clip of what he's done.

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

@TJayyyy_1 Pogba man. 🔥

[TobyWrites @tobyasky]

I’ve lived in Spain and played at the lower divisions, there is a structure and there’s a style, even lower teams play the same way.

I think it was in 2024 that Spain won the Euros, their women won the World Cup that period, their youth teams also won trophies. Everyone was just winning.

The country has an identity, and everyone follows suite. If you watch la Liga, you’ll understand more. Elche plays same way as Real Betis, most of the teams are similar, the only difference is the quality.

If you even watch Tercera divisions, brethren, it’s the same across board.

Whatever is happening in Spain is not fluke, they’re a country with an identity and they stick to it.

[Tactx @Tactx_]

Man City. I don't know what to make of it.

I have read a lot, but still don't understand

- what an appeals process will look like.
- what happens to their titles
- impact on teams that would have won the league or qualified for CL behind them(will they launch their own cases)
- impact on opposing players and their bonuses for PL wins or CL qualification (will the above players impacted launch their own cases)
- the extent of the punishment. How extreme does this get?

It makes a mockery of the current Premier League season, and this needs to be clarified ASAP before the inevitable appeal.

What a mess.

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

This is very hilarious but it works actually 😂

[(fan) Trey @UTDTrey]

Everton 1 charge- 6 point deduction

Man City 114 charges

6 x 114- 684 point deduction

Goodbye Man City😂😂😂

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

🚨Breaking News!!!

Manchester City Reportedly Found Guilty of 114/115 Premier League Charges — What Happens Now? https://t.co/EqtdMCDaaG

Read through to get all the information.

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

@iambolar So Man City are finally guilty of the 115 charges, I doubt the titles get stripped tho.

My guess? A massive fine, points deduction and possibly a European ban.

And if the points deduction comes this early in the season, City could still recover.

This could get interesting. 👀

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

I doubt this would happen but I'd very much love this myself

[george @StokeyyG2]

IF Man City are stripped of their titles from the main financial charges period (2009–2018), the new WINNERS are…

Premier League
• Man United x2
• Liverpool x1

FA Cup
• Stoke City x1

League Cup
• Sunderland x1
• Liverpool x1
• Arsenal x1

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

So Man City are found guilty of the 115 charges, I doubt the titles get stripped though.

My guess? A massive fine, points deduction and possibly a European ban.

And if the points deduction comes this early in the season, City could still recover.

This could get interesting. 👀

[David Ornstein @David_Ornstein]

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Manchester City found guilty on virtually all charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations. #MCFC expected to appeal against verdict issued by independent commission. Sanctions undecided, process ongoing @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/Muxqp4beK9

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

@SkySportsPL Grob or Kostoulas are the best candidates.

[Savvy Football Desk ⚽ @SocialSavvyMan]

@elis_24_ Manager perhaps?! 🤔

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