A new scenario in the Manchester City case sparks fear among English clubs
Uncertainty over the punishment confuses rivals' calculations
Premier League clubs fear that Manchester City's battle to appeal against their conviction could drag on into next season, which would leave the competition facing a "huge problem".
Discontent is growing over City's apparent unwillingness to reach a settlement that would end the proceedings this season and lift the uncertainty hanging over the Premier League.
An independent commission found City guilty on almost all of the more than 100 charges relating to breaches of financial rules, concluding that the club had inflated its commercial revenues and understated its costs by £920 million.
Nobody yet knows the punishment, which could include a points deduction and the club being stripped of its titles. City have confirmed they are appealing against the ruling.
That has cast a shadow over the season. Nobody can say how far the title race, the European qualification places and the relegation battle will be shaped by the City case.
City's rivals, though, fear the case will not be resolved this season, with the club prepared to explore every possible avenue to challenge the ruling and have it overturned.
One source said, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph: "The talk among the clubs is that nobody expects the case to be settled during this season. This is a huge problem, because no one knows for certain what they are competing for, or whether the final positions will still stand."
No date has yet been set for the appeal hearing, pending the appointment of a commission to examine the evidence. Under normal circumstances, the appeal board must deliver its decision within 12 weeks, according to Premier League regulations, which would mean a deadline of 21 January.
City could challenge that 12-week rule, on the basis that the charges brought against the club predated the adoption of the timeframe.
Those hearing the appeal can review the decision of the investigating commission, the documents submitted and the transcripts of witness testimony.
Witnesses are not usually cross-examined again, which makes these proceedings different from a full retrial.
Several outcomes are possible: upholding the rulings issued, overturning some or all of them, or referring certain matters back for further consideration. The appeal board can also refer the case to a new commission for a retrial.
What nobody knows is whether City are prepared to escalate the case beyond the sport's regulatory bodies if their appeal is rejected.
The ruling convicting City also covered their failure to co-operate with the investigation conducted by the Premier League over a number of years.
Bloomberg reported that initial talks over a financial settlement collapsed because of the club's insistence on its innocence, and there have been no signs of any willingness to change that stance.
One source said: "Manchester City do not appear to be admitting any wrongdoing. It is reasonable to think that, having been found guilty on such a large number of charges, they would seek some kind of settlement, but that does not look possible at the moment. Everyone is simply waiting for the punishment, and that is not in the interests of the league or the clubs."
The Telegraph revealed on Friday that City's claim to possess "conclusive evidence" that would overturn their conviction on appeal rests on a vast collection of emails, letters and bank statements.
People familiar with the case say a re-examination of government documents from Abu Dhabi, receipts and the testimony of 24 witnesses, evidence the club believes was wrongly excluded by the original hearing, will be central to their efforts to secure a full or partial acquittal, or to demand a retrial.
