Manchester [UK], October 7 (ANI): Manchester City's off-field legal battle over alleged financial rule breaches could have wider ramifications, with UEFA monitoring the club's appeal against the Premier League's findings and the possibility of secondary sanctions at the European level, according to Goal.com.
Manchester City was found guilty on 114 of 115 charges brought by the Premier League over alleged financial rule breaches. One of the most serious allegations concerned the club allegedly orchestrating artificial sponsorship agreements to boost its revenue by approximately 900 million pounds between 2009 and 2018, a period during which the club emerged as one of the dominant forces in English football and won three Premier League titles.
Following the verdict, the Premier League club officially began its appeal process last week and has continued to maintain its innocence, claiming it has "'irrefutable evidence" that will clear it of the charges.
A three-person independent panel will review Manchester City's appeal, with a resolution expected before the end of the season.
As per a Sky Sports report quoted by Goal.com, UEFA is closely monitoring the legal proceedings and will wait for the outcome of the three-person panel before deciding whether to launch its own investigation into the matter.
If the Premier League's ruling is upheld, it will be uncertain what punishment UEFA will impose on Man City. The prospect of secondary, European-level sanctions looms large over the club and its rich legacy built over the last decade or so.
This is not the first time Manchester City and UEFA have been at loggerheads over financial regulations. UEFA initially banned the English club from European competition for two years in 2020 and imposed a fine of 30 million pounds for Financial Fair Play breaches.
However, the two-year ban was overturned after Manchester City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The financial penalty was subsequently reduced to 10 million pounds.
Domestically, the problems awaiting the club look massive, ranging from point deductions to stripping of past major titles to complete ouster from the Premier League, the top-flight English football competition.
After the international break, City, who are currently at the top of the Premier League with five wins from five matches, are scheduled to resume their campaign against Liverpool at Anfield on October 11. (ANI)
UEFA monitoring Man City's legal battle over financial breaches; secondary sanctions may follow
