Manchester City continue to await a verdict on the 115 charges levelled against them by the Premier League
Manchester City remain in a state of uncertainty as they contest the 115 charges brought against them. And a new report suggests that the Premier League could be left in a “very awkward” situation of City being found guilty while battling Arsenal for the title.
Pep Guardiola’s side continue to await a decision and it has been suggested that two ‘high probability’ explanations exist for the protracted delay; either the judges have been kept busy with alternative cases or those presiding over the case are still simply locked in deliberations over the verdict.
City have consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding the allegations. Manager Guardiola and his players have done their best to ignore off-field distractions and focus on the title race, reeling in Arsenal in the Premier League standings to give themselves a serious shot at another title.
A new article in The Lawyer outlines various possibilities about the proceedings, which have been occurring away from public view. It offers a range of potential explanations for the postponement, separated by their relative probability.
These include the possibility that the three judges have not yet arrived at a unanimous conclusion and are still locked in debate on that particular aspect. The publication observes that judges typically prefer to avoid divided verdicts, suggesting the trio may well endeavour to resolve any differences in pursuit of agreement – recognising this is not the sort of thing that can be done quickly.
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An even more unlikely scenario would involve both parties entering into settlement negotiations. For such an outcome to materialise, City might need to concede some level of culpability, which would mark a substantial departure from their current stance.
The Lawyer also highlights the significant profile of the proceedings and the imperative to deliver the correct verdict. “This is a complicated case. Not only will there almost inevitably be an appeal from at least one side, this judgment will likely be one of the most read and analysed decisions in modern legal history,” the article reads.
Guardiola’s City have competed with this cloud of uncertainty hanging above them for a significant period while deliberations continue. Should they finish above Arsenal this season, it would mark the fifth occasion they have claimed top spot within a six-year period.
City have repeatedly asserted their innocence but the possibility remains that they could capture the title and learn the outcome of the charges simultaneously. The article in The Lawyer describes City’s participation in the title challenge as “something of a nightmare” for the division given the perception surrounding the situation and raises the possibility – however unlikely – that a points deduction drops Guardiola’s team from first to second.
The article reads: “English football now faces the very real – and awkward – possibility of the club being crowned champions at the same time as a tribunal finds it guilty of egregious rule breaches over many years. There is even a chance, albeit an incredibly unlikely one given the time left in the season, that City wins the League but receives a points deduction, handing the title to Arsenal.
“City competing for the title is now something of a nightmare for the Premier League. Like most arbitrations, the proceedings are confidential. That confidentiality and the 16-month wait has left rumours swirling and many scratching their heads about what is going on behind closed doors.”
Guardiola has openly backed the club in press conferences, despite the allegations primarily relating to a timeframe predating his 2016 arrival at the club. In 2023, he was asked whether he would stay if the club get demoted from the Premier League.
“I will wait,” he said. “Wait and see it, and after the sentence has been done we will come here and explain it.”
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