Premier League accelerates on City case, appeal expected in January

Manchester City awaits judgment in January on their appeal against the ruling which found them guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. But the affair risks having consequences that go beyond the pitch, with possible political repercussions on the relationship between the English club and the British institutional leaders.

According to David Kogan, head of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), the proceedings should be examined by mid-to-late January. "The Premier League wants the issue to be resolved within the season," he explained to Times Radio, specifying that the decision will be made by an independent commission made up of three former judges or lawyers. Kogan also said he was ready to resign in the event of political interference in the regulator's work. "We will make a decision based on the evidence," he assured. City, meanwhile, continue to maintain that they have compelling arguments to overturn the verdict.

An independent commission had found the club guilty of the alleged violations in the period 2009-2018, as part of one of the most serious financial scandals in the history of British sport. According to the accepted charges, the accounts were manipulated through fictitious deals for approximately 900 million pounds, over a period of nine seasons.

Possible sanctions include ranking penalties, fines, expulsion from the Premier League and revocation of trophies. Once the proceedings are concluded, the Emirati ownership led by Sheikh Mansour could also come under scrutiny by the IFR.

What makes the matter politically sensitive are the relations between the club and Andy Burnham, British Prime Minister, who had to clarify his contacts with City president, Khaldoon Al Mubarak. Previously, he had spoken of only one formal meeting. The information subsequently made public by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, however, documented a wider network of contacts: at least six occasions including meetings, conversations and commitments also linked to official visits abroad, according to reconstructions by the British media.

The register of interests also included hospitality and tickets financed by the club for a total value of close to 1,200 pounds (around 1,400 euros), including dinners at the stadium and an Ed Sheeran concert. Burnham asked for all the details of the dealings with City's owners to be made public and assured that no one had brought the club's financial disputes to him.