The blow would hit Citiziens to close the sporting trial on violations of financial regulations from 2009 to 2018. For now it is just an indiscretion, but the final level of judgment will be issued shortly.
A heavy penalty, enough to guarantee relegation to the Premiership (English Serie B) in the season in which it starts. A hefty fine but, above all, another package of penalty points to be served during the second division championship. How many? An adequate number to avoid an immediate rise to the Premier League or, at least, to make Manchester City’s path as difficult as possible.
This is the sanction that City risks facing, involved in the scandal of economic and financial violations from 2009 to 2018: 115 charges all deemed proven by the independent commission. A verdict, for the moment without punishment, against which the club that once belonged to Guardiola and now belongs to Maresca has appealed. Only at the end of this second phase, in the event of confirmation of proven guilt, will the punishment be determined with strong pressure both so that Manchester City is not punished, with economic interests with the Emirates also at stake, and so that they do not get away with it.
Outlining the possible point of fall is a preview of the Daily Mail. This would be the way to avoid direct expulsion from League Two, the maximum possible punishment, by moving City into the second division where they cannot be relegated by sporting justice verdict, as the Premier League is a league disconnected from the Premiership which is under the control of the Football Association, but it can be “pushed” there with a pitch penalty.
It should be remembered that the company’s ownership continues to demonstrate its innocence, convinced that it is at the center of a trial based on mere inference and not on proven facts. The story originated in 2018 with the publication of documents stolen by a hacker and ended up in Der Spiegel. From there years of investigation and a sporting proceeding, concluded in recent weeks, which examined all the positions relating to the 115 charges including the complaint of the lack of collaboration with the investigators by the Manchester City managers.
