Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris urges authorities to be ‘relentless’ in Man City case: ‘You could lose the value of the Premier League’

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris urges authorities to be ‘relentless’ in Man City case: ‘You could lose the value of the Premier League’ Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris wants football authorities to be ‘relentless’ in pursuing Manchester City after they were found guilty of 114/115 Premier League financial rule breaches. City are appealing the independent commission’s verdict, and many people are concerned that a prolonged legal battle could undermine the credibility of English football’s top flight. Le Bris believes the authorities must ensure any breaches of the rules carry appropriate consequences, insisting that a level playing field is essential to the Premier League’s value. “The relevant authorities have to be relentless, otherwise you lose the value of your competition,” Le Bris said ( the Times ). “My position is simple – football has rules on and off the pitch. You have to respect those rules. “When they are broken, you should have consequences, otherwise it’s not fair, and we want fair competition, we want fair play.” The Sunderland boss admitted that the allegations against City had prompted discussions among senior figures at the Stadium of Light. “Yes, more or less, even it is hard to understand exactly what the charges are and it happened ten years ago, more or less,” he added. “We were not here in Sunderland, but it is about respecting rules, so it’s key because if you don’t have fair competition it’s a bit weird. That’s more or less the feeling we have in the building.” Asked what punishment would be appropriate if City’s appeal fails, Le Bris admitted he did not know what sanctions should be imposed. Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner has also called for a swift resolution. He warned that continued uncertainty could undermine the Premier League’s integrity and drive supporters away. Glasner drew on his experience at Crystal Palace. UEFA demoted the Eagles from the Europa League to the Europa Conference League in 2025 under its multi-club ownership regulations. City’s case is very different, but the eventual outcome could have significant implications for the club and the Premier League.