Manchester City have been warned that their continued aggressive defence against the Premier League’s financial charges could backfire if their appeal fails.
The club lodged its appeal on October 1 after an independent commission found it guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over nine seasons and most charges relating to its failure to cooperate with the investigation.
City maintain their innocence and claim the commission’s findings contain significant errors of law, principle and fact.
However, leading sports lawyer Dan Chapman believes the club’s refusal to move towards limiting the possible punishment represents a “high-risk” strategy.
City refuse to enter damage limitation mode
Chapman, Managing Partner and Head of Sports Law at Leathes Prior, said clubs facing disciplinary cases would normally reach a point where they accepted the strength of the evidence and focused on reducing the sanction.
Everton and Nottingham Forest previously admitted breaches of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules and presented mitigating factors before their punishments were decided.
City have taken a markedly different approach, maintaining that the central allegation against them is false and pledging to use every available legal route to clear their name.
Chapman said it is impossible to know whether that position reflects the advice provided by City’s lawyers or the club’s own assessment.
He nevertheless believes the continued public defiance could create difficulties during the sanctions stage if the appeal is unsuccessful.
“And so for me the strategy deployed by City from the outset has always been high risk at best, or extremely dangerous at worst,” Chapman told TEAMtalk.
“If City cannot win this appeal, or win out via subsequent legal processes, they are making the sanction stage of these proceedings more difficult for themselves.”
The eventual commission retains broad discretion over potential penalties, which could include fines, points deductions or other sporting sanctions.
Soriano insists City have irrefutable evidence
City chief executive Ferran Soriano has strongly rejected the commission’s findings.
He said the Premier League’s case was based on a false allegation that money belonging to the club’s owner was secretly channelled through Abu Dhabi sponsors.
Soriano insists City submitted bank statements, transfer records and witness evidence demonstrating that the disputed funds did not come from the owner.
City have described the commission’s verdict as an “opinion” and argue that it ignored evidence capable of proving the club’s innocence.
The appeal will be heard privately by an independent three-person board appointed through the Premier League’s judicial process.
That board can dismiss or uphold the appeal, vary the commission’s decision or make another order it considers appropriate.
Appeal decision could run into January
Reports that the entire case is guaranteed to conclude before Christmas should be treated cautiously.
Under the Premier League’s fast-track timetable, the appeal hearing should take place within 12 weeks of the appeal being lodged. That period would expire around December 24.
However, the appeal board can then take up to 30 days after the hearing concludes to deliver its decision.
The outcome could therefore arrive in January 2027 rather than before Christmas, depending on when the hearing takes place and how long it lasts.
The separate sanctions process also remains unresolved.
City’s position is that they will overturn the verdict and will not accept responsibility for breaches they insist did not occur.
Chapman’s warning is an expert assessment rather than a prediction of the outcome. Nevertheless, it highlights the gamble City are taking by continuing to fight every aspect of the case instead of presenting mitigation ahead of any punishment.
