Guardiola's successes under the microscope: a new disaster threatens Manchester City!
The Sky Blues' suffering continues
Manchester City face the threat of a fresh investigation into potential financial breaches in the seasons after 2018.
Questions have surfaced within the Premier League about the lasting impact of the breaches the club were found guilty of committing, according to the British newspaper The Independent.
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of committing 114 breaches of the financial rules, in a case covering the period from 2009 to 2018. The club maintain their innocence and are pressing on with their appeal against the decision.
Why is City facing a new investigation?
The problem lies in a finding by the independent commission: that the club inflated the value of their sponsorship contracts through funds the owners provided in an undisclosed manner.
That has prompted English club officials to ask whether these practices actually stopped after 2018, particularly as Manchester City's commercial revenues stayed sky-high.
Some officials believe the continuation of the same relationships between the club and their Abu Dhabi-linked sponsors could open the door to fresh accusations, if it is proven that undisclosed funding continued and that sponsorship contracts were not assessed at their true market value.
Guardiola's successes under question
These questions carry extra weight given the trophies Manchester City have hoovered up since 2018 under Pep Guardiola.
The team won six Premier League titles in seven seasons, including four in a row, plus a domestic treble and then the historic treble of 2022-2023, which included a first Champions League crown.
Some club officials believe the period after 2018 has not been scrutinised enough. Opening a new investigation, though, may require fresh evidence, such as the leaked emails that triggered the first one.
Will the investigation become a bargaining chip?
Other officials warn that a new investigation could drag the case on for years. Some would rather wait for the outcome of the appeal and the expected sanctions, which are due this November.
According to the report, some officials believe the threat of a new investigation could be used as a bargaining chip during talks over the sanctions, so that the league avoids opening an additional file in exchange for Manchester City accepting a sanction in the current case.
It all becomes even more sensitive with the possibility of a sale, whether forced by the independent football regulator or done voluntarily. A new investigation could make the club less attractive to potential buyers given the risk of future sanctions.
For now, Manchester City insist they are innocent. English football waits for the appeal to be resolved and the final sanctions to be set.
