Manchester City Could Face Further Embarrassment As A Place In The EFL Is Not Guaranteed To Them If Relegated From The Premier League
Feb 8, 2023 at 11:33 AM
Manchester City suddenly face an uncertain future after the Premier League slapped over a 100 charges of financial breaches in one go on them. The Premier League has accused City of numerous rule violations between 2008 and 2018, when they won four league titles, four League Cups and two FA Cup. However, the league has alleged that their spending spree in that time under Abu Dhabi based owner Sheikh Mansour has breached over a century of FFP rules.
As soon as the news broke out, there were talks of the potential penalties Manchester City could face if found guilty. While point-deduction and heavy fines are possibilities, City’s worst scenario could be getting relegated to the English Football League (EFL). However, there will be even more pandemonium for Pep Guardiola’s side because they are not guaranteed to spot in the EFL as well.
EFL under ‘no obligation’ to accommodate Manchester City
If Manchester City are kicked out of the Premier League, the EFL is where they will have to find solace in. However, according to The Telegraph, the EFL ‘would have no obligation to accept Manchester City in the extraordinary event the club were expelled from the Premier League’. This would blow another dent to City’s already tarnished image as they will be literally stranded if all the charges are proved against them.
The defending league champions are already is disarray after being accused of more than 100 suspected violations of financial regulations. City are accused of a staggering 32 separate offences, including four years of non-cooperation with a League investigation. The charges will now be heard in private by an impartial disciplinary body.
There is no set date for the hearing, but if the accusations are found to be true, City could be subject to a number of sanctions, including point reductions, penalties, and even expulsion from the league. The Premier League outfit said they welcomed the commission to “impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position” and were looking forward to the matter “being put to rest once and for all”.
In 2020, City successfully overturned a two-year ban from European competitions by UEFA due to alleged financial irregularities by appealing it in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). However, even the CAS won’t be able to bail them out this time since they can’t appeal this matter there as per the rule of the FA. While City expect to come out clean, it is understood that there is no fixed timeline for the league to get over with their investigation, which could even be dragged for years.
In the meantime, Manchester City’s league rivals are calling for their relegation if they are found to have violated the Financial Fair Play regulations. However, it’s also unclear how City would fit into such a scenario without a change in rules because the EFL, which includes the Championship, League One, and League Two, can only contain 72 clubs. Moreover, the Premier League’s independent disciplinary board has the authority to expel a club, but there is no provision in the regulations for them to relegate one.
It is also being understood that the Premier League titles won by the Etihad club could also be stripped-off. The club also fears that Pep Guardiola would quit after agreeing to extend his stay at City till 2025 only a few months ago. That will make City the club Guardiola has managed for the longest time ever across his managerial career. However, that could undergo a severe change if charges against Manchester City are proved to be true.