Manchester City’s Financial Charges Verdict Delayed Again After Guardiola Suggested It Would Be Revealed This Month

Reports indicate that the decision regarding Manchester City’s charges by the Premier League is now unlikely to be delivered before the summer.

City faces over 115 charges relating to violations of financial regulations over the past nine years, including accusations of not cooperating with the investigation.

The charges, initially reported as 115, were later updated to 130 after some confusion over the rules for specific seasons. The Premier League issued a correction with the revised figure.

An independent commission completed the hearing on the matter in December, following nearly three months of proceedings at London’s International Dispute Resolution Centre.

However, according to The Telegraph, despite earlier expectations of a verdict in early spring, the complexity of the case and the extensive evidence reviewed means that a final decision will likely not come until after the summer.

The investigation, which began in February 2023, has now stretched over almost six and a half years.

City has denied the charges, asserting they have “irrefutable evidence” to support their defense, and their case is being led by Lord Pannick KC.

Pep Guardiola, the club’s manager, has addressed the matter publicly, initially stating that a verdict would come in a month, but now indicating that the process will take longer.

If found guilty, Manchester City could face severe consequences, including a significant points deduction or even relegation. Other Premier League clubs could also demand compensation for the financial impact of the charges, potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds.