The year was 2020 and the European Court of Arbitration decided to reduce Manchester City’s fine to only 10 million euros. Prior to that decision, UEFA fined the Citizens with 30 million, and two year European football ban. The European Court’s rule was seen as a mockery which left the club’s wealthy owners ‘off the hook’ and many Premier League clubs asked the court not to relent, but it didn’t help. Three years later, they will have their chance again, but this time there will be no Court of Arbitration. And they want severe punishment. .@SkyKaveh: “Other Premier League clubs would want Manchester City to be relegated if they were found guilty of all these charges. The clubs who have been pushing hardest for these charges were the other members of the ‘Big Six’.” 👀pic.twitter.com/bE63jwzvPQ— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) February 7, 2023 Manchester City in a real danger of being found guilty and could face most severe punishment in these circumstances – they could be expelled and the English Football League would be under no obligation to accept them. Sky Sports writes that the clubs who had been pressing hardest for action until Monday were some other members of the so-called ‘big six’ – which includes Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham. City charged by the Premier League for breaching ‘dozens of financial rules’On their part, the City official delivered a short statement in which they (again) denied accusations and vowed to prove not guilty and settle this matter ‘once and for all’. Even thou this kind of accusations (which are to be proved in front of the independent commission) mean that European Court of Arbitration cannot be called to overrule the potential sentence, the Citizens have hired the same lawyer who won the appeal in 2020 – Lord Pannick, according to the online magazine “The Lawyer”. The report claims Pannick charges up to 80,000 pounds a day for his services, which is about the same as City’s highest-paid player – Kevin De Bruyne – is said to earn. Pannick has recently advised former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and acted against the Government in the Supreme Court over the prorogation of Parliament in 2019.Manchester City are set to hire Lord Pannick KC, one of Boris Johnson’s Partygate lawyers, to help defend the club in their legal battle against the Premier League.He could charge £400,000-a-week if it goes to trial. The same wage as Kevin de Bruyne 😮Via The Sun pic.twitter.com/GHNtwrlm6Y— SPORTbible (@sportbible) February 7, 2023 But, according to the governing body’s former chief investigator Yves Leterme, this time the Premier League has the stronger case than he did in 2020. Leterme was left devastated by CAS’ decision but now is more optimistic, since the club cannot appeal to them this time. “That would make this case stronger. And then there is another element: the scope of the complaint is now broader than that at UEFA, both in time and in substance. Especially because the Premier League does not have to adhere to the same strict limitation periods as we do. There was a total lack of transparent flow of financial information. With a battery of lawyers, they did everything they could to counter the work of our auditors. In addition, it turned out that money from sponsorship was actually paid by the owner. Finally, there were also the ambiguities surrounding contracts. However, thanks to emails and bank statements, we had hard evidence. I am convinced that fraud has been committed by Manchester City” Leterme told Belgian outlet Sporza.##NAJAVA_MECA_7007013##
