Man City appeal charges because lawyer involved is Arsenal fan

Manchester City will reportedly appeal the current charges by the Premier League because of the person in charge of the disciplinary process. Previously, the Premier League charged the reigning English champions with 115 financial rule violations during a 14-year period. These wrongdoings occurred from 2009 through the current campaign.

Nevertheless, The Times is reporting that the club will fight the charges because Murray Rosen KC is heading the case. Rosen is the current lead on the Premier League’s independent judicial panel. Under current rules in place, he can officially appoint himself as the main investigator in City’s legal situation. Rosen is, however, supposedly an Arsenal fan.

City likely beating Arsenal to 2022/23 Premier League title

City is on pace to collect its fifth Premier League title in six years. It could also be the seventh English top flight triumph since its financial discrepancies with the league began. They are currently leading second-placed Arsenal by four points with only a few weeks remaining in the season. The English champs are claiming that Rosen has a conflict of interest in the case because of the title race.

The appeal by City will most likely further draw out the case. The aforementioned news outlet reports that any final decision from the independent panel could take years. In fact, City may not know its fate until potentially 2027.

City welcomes independent review, but will appeal charges

City vaguely denied any wrongdoing when the Premier League announced its charges in February. Nevertheless, the English top flight says that City did not provide an accurate account of financial affairs during this timeframe. The club also failed to communicate the contracts provided to coaches and players. They then chose not to assist the Premier League when the investigation began as well.

If found guilty, City could eventually face a wide range of sanctions. This could include a fine, a points deduction, and even possibly being banned from the Premier League. The club is apparently willing to take the case to the Supreme Court should things not go its way.

UEFA previously barred the club from playing in European competitions for two years. However, City won the appeal and the ruling was overturned in 2020. Instead of a ban, the club was fined around $10 million. The club’s majority owner, Sheikh Mansour, has a reported net worth of roughly $16.8 billion.

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