Will Man City be relegated amidst 130 charges?

Cameron Smith

• 12 Dec 2024 15:01 GMT
• 4 min read

Manchester City face the possibility of receiving a huge punishment if they are found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations.

Pep Guardiola’s side were charged with 115 alleged financial breaches in February 2023 and an independent hearing has officially concluded following a four-year investigation conducted by UEFA.

While the club were initially charged with 115 breaches, this tally has now increased to a total of 130 after a reported administration error.

Man City have denied any wrongdoing, but the club have been accused of failing to provide accurate financial information from 2009 to 2018, and failing to co-operate from 2018 to 2023.

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‘The Trial of the Century’ has now finished, although the independent board will take time to come to a conclusion, with reports suggesting the verdict may not be announced until February 2025, while Man City will have the right to appeal the final decision.

The Cityzens have won eight Premier League titles and 24 trophies in total since the Abu Dhabi United Group purchased the club in 2008, spending over €2.5 billion on new players in the process.

However, they face the prospect of being relegated from the Premier League if the trial results in a guilty verdict.

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What are Man City’s potential punishments?

There is essentially no limit to the potential punishment that Man City could face if they are found guilty of the alleged breaches.

A fairly small punishment could see Guardiola’s side forced to pay a fine or handed a transfer ban.

They could also be ordered to replay league matches, players may be deregistered and Man City may be suspended from playing games for a certain time period.

Furthermore, Man City could be handed a points deduction and they could even be expelled from the Premier League.

As a result, it’s certainly possible that Man City may be relegated from the top flight of English football next summer - if they are found guilty.

Everton and Nottingham Forest have both been handed points deductions for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules over the past few seasons, and financial experts have suggested that Man City could be deducted up to 100 points due to the number of alleged breaches.

Furthermore, The Telegraph have reported that Man City could also be expelled from the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, in addition the potentially the Champions League and the Club World Cup.

Man City could also be cleared of all charges, resulting in no punishment.