Manchester City's appeal against the findings of financial misconduct threatens to develop into a lengthy and exhausting legal saga. Esteemed football finance expert Stefan Borson shared his insights on what this high-profile case might entail.
The Citizens are currently challenging the Independent Commission's ruling, which found the club guilty of all charges spanning from 2009 to 2018. Media speculation runs rife regarding a potential punishment that could involve a heavy points deduction, putting the club’s Premier League status directly at risk. However, the timeline for an ultimate verdict remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Borson argues that the key delay stems from the appeal process itself. He believes that the appeal regarding the club's culpability must be resolved before any discussions about specific sanctions can take place.
I think it makes complete sense for both parties to agree that the appeal regarding culpability—specifically, how many of the 115 charges City are indeed guilty of—should occur prior to hearings on sanctions, the expert explained.
Borson highlights that from a practical standpoint, the same legal teams cannot manage two such extensive processes simultaneously. The hearings regarding any potential punishment will require substantial preparation from lawyers, who must assess mitigating and aggravating factors based on the Commission's findings.
The time necessary for full preparation of the appeal regarding whether they committed these offences or not, in my view, cannot be reconciled with the distracting hearings about punishment. There’s been a lot of talk about how this will be resolved quickly. But I find it highly unlikely that events will unfold that way, Borson summarised.
