Manchester City have been advised to prepare for a decision to finally be made on their 115 charges of alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules imminently. The Cityzens were first hit with the charges back in February 2023 and a legal expert has now spoken about the eagerly-anticipated verdict and claimed there is "no real excuse for a further delay."
Verdict on Man City case overdue
A verdict on Manchester City's 115 charges was initially expected earlier this year but is now expected shortly. There has been frustration at the length of time the whole process has taken but the club may not have too much longer to wait to discover their fate. Speculation has raged over possible punishments if City are found guilty, ranging from points deductions to titles being stripped, but the club are thought to be confident they will avoid the harshest sanctions and have maintained their innocence throughout the process.
AdvertisementAFPMan City told decision is imminent
Manchester City have been told to expect a decision soon. Legal expert Stefan Borson told talkSPORT: "It's very very simple. They have not had the decision of the panel as of yet. I do think now there's no real excuse for a further delay. Even if they were busy on other matters, and they would have been, then I think it would be really quite extraordinary that there's been no timetable set with them and no arrangement set with them in terms of the payment of their time over these last ten months to produce the decision.
"I think on any basis ten months is enough to produce even a very very detailed 400 or 500 page decision on this case, and I think it is imminent. I know I have said that before multiple times in this room but I did think that there was a very good chance that it would have come out for this international window. I think there's a very good chance it will come out in the next international window and I really can't see it going into 2026. I just cannot see it extending beyond the year. I think it is almost out."
Guardiola will accept decision
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has vowed to accept any decision that is handed down to his club when the verdict finally arrives. He told reporters last summer: "I am happy that it starts soon and hopefully it will finish soon, for the benefit of all of us, especially the club but also other Premier League clubs and all the people who don’t wait for the sentence. I wish, from the deep in my heart, go to the trial, the independent panel – and I say again, independent panel – and as soon as possible, release what happened and we will accept like always we have done."
Man City & Haaland enjoying bright start
Manchester City are currently in the midst of a strong start to the season after a disappointing campaign last year. Guardiola's side sit just three points off top spot and have four points from their opening two Champions League matches. Star striker Erling Haaland has started the season in fine form, banging in 12 goals in nine Premier League and Champions League matches, and has been hailed as the top flight's greatest striker by Jamie Carragher.
He said: "I think we're watching the greatest goal-scorer to ever play in English football. I honestly can't remember Jimmy Greaves, Dixie Dean and all those players from years ago. But I think of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush for my club Liverpool. There's a difference for me between a great centre-forward or striker and a goal-scorer. I think what we're witnessing now is something we've never seen before in our game and don't forget, this is a club where the goal-scorer beforehand was Sergio Aguero, one of the greatest we'll ever see. This is on a completely different level to Aguero. He's the best.”
