Coming from Fabrizio Romano this Evening VERY SAD NEWS has been announced for Manchester City after found guilty of breaching 115 financial Rules
Lawyer Stefan Borson, a former financial advisor to Manchester City, believes the Blues would be relegated if they are found guilty of the Premier League’s 115 financial wrongdoing claims against them.
However, he stated that considering the number of people suspected of participating in the alleged cover-ups, City is unlikely to be held at fault. The indictments allege unlawful financing and a lack of collaboration between 2009 and 2018, which the City denies.
This week, Nottingham Forest and Everton were accused of violating the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability guidelines, with both said to have surpassed the three-season cash loss limit.
Everton had previously been punished 10 points for a previous violation of the league’s financial laws. City’s case is very different from those before Forest and Everton, and Borson believes that if City is found guilty by an independent tribunal, there will be far-reaching ramifications.
“The scale is on a completely different level [to Everton and Forest],” Borson told talkSPORT. “If the charges are proven, there is no doubt that this will result in relegation. There is evidence of a conspiracy stretching back nearly a decade.
“They [the Premier League] are claiming that City’s primary sponsorship agreements are for £8 million rather than £50-60 million, and that the entire affair was a fraud.
“That a large number of people lied, including CEOs from many companies, and that the club lied to numerous other parties. Professionals, those conducting due diligence on the company, league, UEFA, and FA.”
Borson continued: “If verified, this is really serious. Nobody would disagree with it. City would stress in their submission, as they have told CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport], that this is a serious charge.
UEFA accused City of financial irregularities before CAS overturned their two-year European suspension in 2020. Borson feels the club will win again, given the size of what the Premier League claims and must prove.
He went on to say, “I think they [City] will clear their name because I believe a case of this nature requires a level of cogent proof that appears to be impossible to present to an independent commission.”
“Additionally, it appears exceedingly implausible that the alleged conduct occurred over a 10-year period with the types of people connected in the club and the businesses involved.
“It is extremely implausible, and this will be the starting point for any independent commission. It will be a tough call for any quasi-court or tribunal to claim that these many people have been dishonest and perjured themselves.
“That will be a massive call for effectively some KCs and maybe a former finance director of a football club to make against not just Manchester City, but against numerous executives, some third-party individuals and potentially senior members of foreign states.”
Premier League chief Richard Masters stated this week that an independent panel hearing on the charges has been scheduled, but he declined to reveal when it will take place.
Given that this is an unprecedented case of this magnitude, it is unknown what consequences could be imposed, however there is speculation that titles could be removed if City is found guilty.
