Manchester City badge outside the Etihad Stadium defaced by furious fans following guilty financial verdict
Vandalism at the Etihad
According to a report by The Sun, the giant Manchester City crest located outside the Etihad Stadium has been defaced with an X-rated slur. Some fans took their fury out on the stadium's exterior in the immediate aftermath of the explosive ruling.
The Premier League confirmed on Tuesday that an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of financial rules. These infractions occurred over a nine-season period between 2009-10 and 2017-18, marking one of the most turbulent periods in the club's recent history as they face potential sporting sanctions.
Artificial revenues and rule breaches
The commission determined that Manchester City had arranged "sham" contracts with commercial partners. These schemes artificially inflated club revenues and significantly reduced costs. The resulting arrangements distorted the finances at Manchester City by more than £900m over the specified period.
Furthermore, the club were found guilty of most charges relating to their failure to cooperate with the investigation. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters noted that the independent decision established that the club had "systematically" broken the competition's rules for almost a decade, setting the stage for unprecedented potential punishments.
Club maintains absolute innocence
Despite the damaging findings and stadium vandalism, Man City have vehemently rejected the verdict and insist they remain completely innocent. The club released a defiant statement confirming their intention to appeal, arguing the commission's opinion contains "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact" and describing the decision as "unsafe".
Furthermore, Manchester City stated: "The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case."
What next for Man City?
Man City have until Friday, October 2, to officially exercise their right to appeal the commission's devastating findings. While no specific sanction has been imposed yet, a separate hearing will determine the exact punishment as this unprecedented legal battle between the club and the Premier League rages on.
