The much-needed clarity has arrived on the Manchester City 115 case, and it is damning

The much-needed clarity has arrived on the Manchester City 115 case, and it is damning Ever since Friday, it has been common knowledge that Manchester City had been found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against it for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules. From the moment that David Ornstein broke the story for The Athletic, clarity was needed surrounding the entire story. That has arrived today with the Premier League announcing the independent commissions findings and reasons why they have come to the conclusion they have. The case against Manchester City, based on the independent commissions findings, is damning, however, Manchester City have come out swinging in response. The independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. Today has seen the Premier League release the independent commissions findings in regards to the 115 case against Manchester City. A snippet of the findings can be seen below, and the full findings can be viewed at the attached link: The independent Commission found that between Seasons 2009/10 and 2017/18: – Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on ‘sham’ agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs. – The club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators. – Manchester City was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits. – During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld). The independent Commission found that Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors during the period, which were part of a disguised funding scheme, whereby those companies were only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees. The remainder was funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club. As part of the scheme, further ‘sham’ arrangements, funded by ADUG, were entered into to enable the club to record lower operating expenses than it actually incurred, as well as a ‘sham’ circular arrangement with Fordham, an entity that purchased the club’s players’ image rights, that was funded by ADUG. Manchester City have released a statement in response to the independent commissions findings vowing to fight on to clear their name. As quick as the Premier League released the independent commissions findings, Manchester City issued their response. Their statement on mancity.com said: Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission, that has been published today. 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.  The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.  The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted.   Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.  The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.   The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete. Thoughts on today’s developments. The clarity surrounding Friday’s news has arrived. It needed to provide clarity on the situation and what comes next. There is no other way to find the independent commissions findings than damning. They have found Manchester City’s witnesses for the hearing to be dishonest. Also, City have embarked on a clear campaign to hide the true size of their owners’ investment. Today’s release of the findings is a hammer blow to the reputation of City and its owners. But Manchester City’s response has been equally as damning against the Premier League. City maintains their innocence. Also, City maintain that they possess a ‘body of irrefutable evidence’ supporting their stance. City will fight to clear their name. That much is clear. Their statement, and Ferran Soriano’s message to City staff indicates this. Whether or not City can overturn the Premier League’s verdict will not be known for a considerable length of time. Today’s announcement does hit like a lightning bolt. It is a hammer blow for City. It accuses the clubs owners of running a significant ‘sham’ which tarnishes their reputation and that of Manchester City and everyone associated with the club. There is no other way it can be viewed. City currently sit in the mire awaiting sanctions, appeals, and another long drawn out process. Today is a dark day for City. However, it is a road that City have been down before and they will hope to overturn this decision like they did UEFA’s in 2020. Manchester City’s owners have to overturn this decision and prove that their evidence was ‘irrefutable’. If they don’t, all the mud sticks and everything since 2008 doesn’t feel as special as it was at the time. In fact, Manchester City’s reputation won’t recover from today’s news. It is as simple as that.