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Manchester City are facing serious punishments after they were charged with breaching financial rules.
The Premier League has charged Manchester City with several alleged financial breaches. The news, which broke on Monday afternoon, is dominating headlines, although it has been long coming.
The league body investigated City for almost four years before charging City with several alleged breaches.
The breaches, which are over 100, started from the 2009-2010 season to the 2017-2018 campaign. The Premier League accused of not cooperating since they started the investigation in 2018.
It also revealed City failed to act in ‘utmost good faith’ that gives accurate financial information and a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs.
City had previously faced similar problems with UEFA, with the European football governing body ruling that the club committed serious financial breaches.
UEFA subsequently banned City from all European competitions for two years, but it was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
However, City face a similar punishment when the Premier League decides, but this time, they cannot appeal to CAS.
Potential punishments could see City lose their previous league titles, suffer point deductions or face relegation.
With City facing serious punishments, we look at the clubs that could benefit from their woes.
Liverpool and Steven Gerrard
The Reds will definitely be the happiest of City’s rivals if and when the Premier League comes hard on them.
This is because Liverpool are the team that were most hard done by City during this period. Liverpool finished second in the 2013/2014 season, with that infamous Gerrard slip against Chelsea costing the Reds a league title.
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While they did go on to win the Premier League title in 2020, the 2013/2014 season still hurts. Liverpool will be happy to claim the title if City are stripped of their titles.
It also means Steven Gerrard will also get to win the only title missing from his glittering club career.
Arsenal
The Gunners will be keeping a close eye on the case as they are currently embroiled in a Premier League title race with the accused.
Not only that, Arsenal have lost several players to City due to their inability to compete financially.
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The Gunners will feel this is karma in full flow, while they will also hope the Premier League go down hard on City by handing them a points deduction.
Should the Premier League hand City a points deduction, Arsenal will receive a boost in the race for the title.
The rest of the Premier League and Europe
The financial breaches are serious issues, but it is also important to state that City have been brilliant on the pitch.
While it could be argued that they have only been good on the pitch because of their financial power, it still does not take away their quality.
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In the last four of the five seasons, City have won the Premier League. They have also gone close numerous times in the Champions League.
However, with a possible hammer set to fall on them, the whole of Europe and the Premier League will likely rejoice that their nemesis has been taken down.
Also, it means City’s world-class manager Pep Guardiola is likely to walk. When Man City were first accused of financial doping, Guardiola revealed he asked City’s Chiefs if the allegations were true and they said no.
However, he went further to say if he found out that they were lying, he would walk away from the club.
“If you’re lying to me, the day after I’m not here. I will be out and you will not be my friend anymore,” Guardiola said.
With City facing serious punishments, Guardiola could walk, which could bring an end to City’s dominant era in the Premier League.
However, the Premier League is not expected to decide on anything anytime soon. In fact, the decision could take weeks or months, and they still need to find City guilty.
Nonetheless, whatever the decision is, City’s reputation is on the line.
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