Man City FFP: City interval verdict on appeal revealed as timeline for final verdict mooted
According to reports, Manchester City remain ‘confident’ that the guilty verdict for their FFP hearing will be overturned.
At the start of 2023, the Premier League referred Man City to an independent comission after a four-year probe into their alleged wrongdoing between 2009 and 2018.
The Premier League charged Man City with 115 breaches of its FFP regulations, and a six-week hearing was held towards the end of 2024.
Subsequently, a lot of time passed without any notable updates, and it looked increasingly likely that Enzo Maresca‘s side would escape the saga with little to no punishment.
This was partly because Man City have remained insistent on their innocence throughout this process, and they have also invested heavily in the transfer market in recent windows.
READ: Top ten clubs most screwed over by Man City cheating: Arsenal 10th, Tottenham 3rd, Liverpool…?
Despite this, it was reported last week that Man City have been found guilty on 114 of their 115 charges, though neither the club nor the Premier League have yet to confirm whether a verdict has been reached.
Still, if Man City are deemed guilty and if there is a failed appeal, they face severe sanctions. Their potential punishments include a fine, transfer ban, points deduction, expulsion and/or being stripped of their Premier League titles.
Man City stance on appeal revealed
Any of these punishments would be on the table if the FFP case goes against Man City to such a dramatic degree, but it has been widely reported that they are going to appeal the initial verdict.
And a report from Football Insider claims they remain unmoved on this situation, with club chiefs ‘confident of winning an appeal’ to get the initial verdict overturned.
READ MORE: The only thing Man City are guilty of is ‘trying to level up the playing field’ after ‘blind panic’ of ‘cartel’
The report explains:
‘The Citizens are set to be found guilty of 114 of their 115 charges, but the club still believe that they can prove the Premier League wrong. ‘The club hierarchy are planning to continue “protesting their innocence” until the very end, and are not preparing for the event of them potentially being relegated. Sources say that City are not even “considering” the scenario of restructuring their entire squad, and hope that they can overturn the verdict.’
The same report claims the appeal process ‘could take up to three months’ to unfold, while a source for the outlet claims it is ‘certain’ to lose an appeal and be deducted at least 50 points.
READ NEXT: Man City chief Khaldoon Al Mubarak deserves Joe Hart’s wrath not his blind ‘trust’
