️ Manchester City have been found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them for breaching Premier League financial rules, according to a report in The Athletic. The sanctions have not yet been decided, and City are expected to appeal, the report said, citing anonymous sources.

️ Potential sanctions include points deductions, financial penalties, stripping of titles, and even relegation from the Premier League. A City spokesperson, denying the charges, said: "The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality."

️ Since a 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE royal family, City have been transformed from also-rans into the Premier League's dominant force. Eight of the club's 10 league titles have come in the past 15 seasons, plus a first and only Champions League in 2023.

️ The club has been accused of breaching financial rules from 2009 to 2018 and failing to cooperate with the Premier League's investigation. The charges stem from leaked documents published by Der Spiegel in 2018, which purportedly showed inflated sponsorship revenue from Etihad and Etisalat.

️ City have insisted there is a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to prove its innocence. In 2020, a two-year Champions League ban by UEFA was overturned by CAS. But no such time limitation clause exists in the Premier League case. Everton and Nottingham Forest were both hit by points deductions in the 2023/24 season. A severe punishment would also raise doubts about the future of City's star players, including Erling Haaland.

Source: www.aljazeera.com