Manchester City is synonymous with outstanding football, has one of the most talented squads around and perhaps the best tactician on the touchline in Pep Guardiola. But wait, there was something?
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- Manchester City are facing 115 charges in England. In the worst case scenario, the club, which is controlled by the United Arab Emirates, could face forced relegation.
- The investigations against the club have their roots in the "Football Leaks" scandal of 2018. After a guilty verdict by UEFA was overturned by CAS in 2020, the Premier League is now threatening to convict the club.
- It is also possible that the British government has not yet said its last word. It maintains positive relations with the United Arab Emirates. Payments amounting to ten billion pounds are at stake. Great Britain does not want to give any information about secret talks.
The time has come on Tuesday at 9 p.m.: In the fourth Champions League group match, Bern's Young Boys will face perhaps the most difficult game in world football. Manchester City have not lost a Champions League match at home in the Etihad Stadium since the 2-1 defeat to Olympique Lyon on September 19, 2018. The English champions have won 25 of their last 27 games. Not the best prospects for YB.
But while the Skyblues' image on the pitch is growing from game to game, it has long since lost its luster off it. For years, Manchester City have been accused of numerous breaches of Financial Fair Play. The English Premier League is investigating 115 cases. The possible penalties range from points deductions to forced relegation. It has been unclear for years when a decision will finally be made.
Convicted by UEFA, acquitted by CAS
Things got really uncomfortable for Manchester City in 2018, when Der Spiegel, in collaboration with the research network EIC (European Investigative Collaborations) and the Portuguese football whistleblower Rui Pinto, uncovered around 70 million football leaks documents.
The documents reveal greed, lies and secret backroom deals in the football business. Right in the middle of it all: Manchester City and its notorious owner family from Abu Dhabi. UEFA immediately launches an investigation. In 2020, it found the English club guilty of "gross violations" of Financial Fair Play, primarily involving inflated sponsorship payments that artificially inflated the club's income. Manchester City is excluded from the Champions League for two years.
The English club takes the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, where it is upheld by a panel of three judges. The decision is criticized because two of the three judges were allowed to be recommended by the English club. However, the two-year Champions League ban imposed by UEFA is lifted.
Premier League has been investigating for four years
Three years later, the bombshell followed in the Premier League. In a statement in February 2023, the English league brought 115 charges against the club from Manchester. The allegations are similar. The focus is on sponsorship payments that were allegedly made by the Abu Dhabi owner family rather than the relevant partners.
The club is also accused of withholding information and not cooperating with the investigators. As the British sports newspaper "The Athletic" reports, the investigations that led to the charges have been ongoing for more than four years.
In the event of a guilty verdict, the Citizens could face hefty fines. In addition to horrendous fines, the Premier League would have the option of deducting points from the club in the current or previous seasons. This in turn could result in the club being stripped of titles. In the worst-case scenario, there is even the threat of forced relegation or expulsion from the Premier League.
It is not yet possible to say when a decision will be made. At the beginning of the year, British newspapers assumed it would take "several months". One thing is clear: Manchester City can also appeal this decision. Another independent court would then take up the case and reopen it. However, there is no option in England to appeal the decision to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. According to British law, the judges may not be selected by the accused club either.
Secret government talks
Nevertheless, Manchester City is confident of victory. They were surprised by the accusation, but had extensive and irrefutable evidence, they said in a statement in the spring. What could also play into the Sky Blues' hands are the diplomatic relations between Great Britain and the United Arab Emirates.
The owner of the club, Sheikh Mansour, is Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). His brother, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the President of the UAE. Manchester City has repeatedly emphasized in the past that the club is not state-owned and is not financed by the Emirates.
As the British government admitted in September, its embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) were involved in the proceedings against Manchester City. As a result, "The Athletic" requested access to the discussions between the FCDO in London and the British embassy, citing the Freedom of Information Act.
The request was rejected by the British government. In a statement, it said: "The disclosure of information about our relationship with the government of the United Arab Emirates could potentially damage bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates."
Bilateral relations between the two nations have grown significantly in recent years. In September 2021, the UAE agreed to invest £10 billion in green energy, technology and infrastructure in the UK. This was in addition to previous investments totaling more than one billion pounds.