Manchester City, a Premier League football club backed by Abu Dhabi, has been found guilty on 114 of 115 financial charges. An independent commission discovered that the club arranged "sham" contracts with commercial partners to artificially inflate its revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million between 2009 and 2018. This period saw City win the Premier League title three times, as well as one FA Cup and three League Cups.
People in Manchester have expressed shock and dismay at the scale of financial wrongdoing by Manchester City. Karem Fagega, a 21-year-old student, described the situation as "a shame for football," stating that the sport cannot have stories like this. Sabrina Lodi, a 33-year-old account manager, noted that while City "are not the only ones that do it from around the world," they are "just the ones that got caught."
Connor Emery, a 25-year-old retail worker who supports Liverpool, was surprised by the "damning" verdict. He admitted that he had expected the scandal to be "brushed under the carpet." Emery suggested that a points deduction could be a suitable consequence, but was skeptical that the club would face relegation.
Some individuals in Manchester have called for Manchester City to be relegated from the Premier League. Corey, an 18-year-old student and Manchester United fan, stated that he "personally thinks it should be a relegation," but acknowledged that the outcome depends on the Premier League's policies. British sports minister Lisa Nandy warned that the ultimate sanction is "very serious indeed" and that a club "can be expelled from the Premier League."
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards expressed devastation and sadness at the revelations about the club where he started playing at 14. He cited a lack of information and conflicting accounts after the club's CEO Ferran Soriano criticized the verdict as a "Premier League conspiracy theory" and insisted that the club would "be vindicated."
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane stated that, if he were a City player, he would discard all the medals. He told ITV television that the players knew their actions would hurt many people, but they still proceeded with the wrongdoing. Manchester City has vowed to appeal against the Premier League's verdict.
The club faces potential multi-million pound compensation lawsuits and possible title stripping. The consequences of the guilty verdict will be significant, with many awaiting the Premier League's decision on the matter. Manchester City's appeal will likely be a crucial step in determining the final outcome.
Key points
- Manchester City faces potential points deductions or expulsion after being found guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League financial charges.
- Some individuals in Manchester have called for Manchester City to be relegated from the Premier League.
- The club faces potential multi-million pound compensation lawsuits and possible title stripping.
