Leading sports lawyer Dan Chapman has warned that Manchester City are likely to receive two significant punishments if the disciplinary commission considers aggravating circumstances following a guilty verdict for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
Last week, it was confirmed that the club was found guilty on 114 out of 115 counts in the trial. The Premier League's investigation lasted four years and covered the period from 2009 to 2018.
Enzo Maresca's side has consistently maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings. However, the club now faces the prospect of serious repercussions, which could include hefty fines, transfer bans, points deductions, expulsion from the league, or even the stripping of titles.
Chapman highlighted to TEAMtalk that City’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation could be the primary reason for the harsh penalties.
The most serious issue Manchester City need to recognise isn’t just the financial breaches but their refusal to cooperate. In simple terms, the club is accused of deliberately dragging out the investigation or actively obstructing it. If City is indeed found guilty of such serious and repeated obstructions, limiting the penalty to just financial sanctions would set an unthinkable precedent. The commission rightly fears sending a message that any club facing serious disciplinary charges can simply buy their way out of trouble by sabotaging the investigation.
The lawyer is convinced that the commission will impose severe sporting sanctions alongside a gigantic financial penalty if they deem the club’s behaviour unacceptable and the league hierarchy calls for strict measures to deter others.
As far as I understand, Manchester City are requesting to keep the decision confidential while the appeal is ongoing, but judging by precedents, that is unlikely to succeed. Once the verdict is revealed, the commission's wording will be decisive. Until we see the justification and overall tone of the decision, we cannot accurately speculate on the sanctions. However, if the commission reacts very negatively to City’s refusal to assist the Premier League’s investigation or their attempts to build a defence where breaches were obvious, I see no outcome other than very harsh sporting sanctions alongside a massive fine. These rules are in place to deter clubs. The Premier League will definitely want to underline the need to prevent such actions by other teams in the future. The clauses regarding obstructing the investigation will be the main battleground. While financial breaches might warrant fines, for the 35 counts related to a refusal to cooperate, the league is unlikely to settle for a mere financial penalty.
