The verdict against Manchester City is causing a huge stir and could result in severe penalties. Former boss David Bernstein is even calling for compulsory relegation should the allegations be confirmed.
On Tuesday, an independent Premier League commission officially found Manchester City guilty on all 115 charges. The club is accused of having the “clear” intention, between 2009 and 2018, to “circumvent Premier League rules” and, for example, to reduce costs by more than 900 million British pounds (1.05 billion euros) through so-called “sham deals” with sponsors.
This constitutes a clear breach of the Premier League’s financial regulations, with Chief Executive Richard Masters himself describing it as the “most significant” disciplinary case in Premier League history. Masters and his team have also received backing from a former City boss, who still describes himself today as a “supporter and fan for 70 years”.
We are referring to David Bernstein, who served as chairman of Manchester City between 1998 and 2003 and as chairman of the English Football Association (FA) between 2011 and 2013. In his view, the Premier League has “done an excellent job in this matter to get as far as it has”. Speaking to the BBC, the 83-year-old explained that this is “a matter” that is “incredibly damaging” and “so serious” that “it goes beyond the football associations”.
Financial consequences are not enough for Bernstein
Given the financial clout from Abu Dhabi provided by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has been the majority shareholder of the ten-time English champions since 2009, Bernstein is calling for more than just financial consequences: “It must be something that goes far beyond that. If all this stands and an appeal fails, then in my opinion Manchester City cannot remain in the Premier League. In that case, they must face a severe penalty that excludes them from the Premier League,” the former City chairman makes his position clear.
Man City has until next Friday, 2 October, to lodge an appeal against the ruling, which the club has already announced it will do. “Manchester City will now exhaust all legal remedies available to it, as the ruling contains clear and substantial errors of law, principle and fact and is therefore untenable,” the Sky Blues wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
