Manchester City have reportedly launched an unprecedented legal action against the Premier League and have discovered when their hearing into 115 charges of alleged Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches will take place.
It has now been 16 months since Citizens supporters were rocked by the news that their club had been charged by the Premier League for alleged financial irregularity between 2009-10 and 2017-18 following a four-year investigation - charges that the club have emphatically denied.
Man City are alleged to have failed to provide accurate financial information relating to sponsorship income, revenue and operating costs and have also been accused of offering a secret contract to one of their managers during this period who was receiving more money than officially stated.
The reigning Premier League champions have also been accused of failing to comply with UEFA's FFP rules during a five-year period and are said to have not fully co-operated with the Premier League's investigation.
If Pep Guardiola's side are found guilty, punishments could range from heavy fines to points deductions or even Premier League expulsion and the stripping of titles.
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Man City's 115 charges verdict set for November
Premier League CEO Richard Masters confirmed at the beginning of this year that a date has been set for Man City's hearing into their 115 charges, and according to The Times, the hearing will take place in November and is expected to last six weeks.
The report adds that while Man City await the hearing, they have taken legal action against the Premier League in a move that has 'sparked civil war' in the English top flight.
It was claimed in February that the Citizens were warned of the threat of suing the Premier League, with their case centred around a campaign to remove the Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, but they have since proceeded with it and a date for this hearing - separate to the one for their 115 alleged charges - is now set for June 10.
The APTs rules have been the subject of scrutiny from the league since they were introduced in December 2021, and were initially designed to maintain competitiveness and prevent top-flight teams from negotiating inflated commercial deals with businesses linked to their owners.
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Man City 'the victims of discrimination'
Inside a 165-page legal document submitted to the Premier League, Man City claim they are victims of "discrimination" and the APTs rules have been approved by their rivals to stifle their success on the pitch as a 'tyranny of the majority'.
If Man City are successful in their hearing, it could allow the Premier League's richest clubs to value their sponsorship deals without independent assessment from the league, increasing the amount that they can spend on incomings.
Meanwhile, Man City have also taken aim at the Premier League's voting rules, arguing that the current requirements of at least 14 of the 20 clubs - or two-thirds of those who vote - to implement rule changes gives the majority unacceptable levels of control.
It is claimed that the remaining 19 Premier League clubs 'have been invited to participate in the legal action' launched by Man City, and between 10 and 12 teams have already come forward to provide either witness statements or a letter detailing evidence in support of the league's defence.
Neither Man City nor the Premier League are yet to comment on the reports at this stage.
Oliver Thomas
