Premier League exec says Man City could face 80-point penalty

There are ample opinions about what should happen to Manchester City if the Premier League finds the Sky Blues guilty of breaching Premier League rules. The reigning English champions picked up charges 18 months ago of breaking financial laws more than 100 times. Since then, the club continued with business as usual. This comes as both Everton and Nottingham Forest have faced charges and punishments for their breaches.

Nevertheless, the official hearing regarding City’s charges is finally set to start in a few weeks. Although the outcome of the case is not yet known, the club could face some serious penalties. This includes hefty fines, points deductions, or even being automatically sent down to the second-tiered Championship.

Premier League club execs claim City should face huge penalties

Opinions on the situation tend to vacillate. However, there is a growing feeling amongst Premier League teams that City will likely face a points penalty. This punishment, according to one English top-flight exec could exceed an incredible 70 points.

“The collective view I’ve heard is that an appropriate sanction would have to be a points deduction so substantial — we are talking here between 70 and 80 points — that it guarantees City a season in the Championship,” the anonymous official recently told The Athletic.

For reference, Everton dropped eight Premier League points after facing charges two different times last season. Forest, on the other hand, answered a four-point penalty for its single charge as well.

The massive one-time points deduction is, however, just one suggestion by those close to the situation. Another official claim is that the penalty should stretch to affect City over multiple seasons.

The fellow anonymous exec suggests that Pep Guardiola’s club face points penalties over three consecutive campaigns. Opting to go this route would drastically affect City’s ability to qualify for the lucrative Champions League.

Potential points penalty should affect City over multiple seasons

The severity of the punishment ultimately comes down to whether or not City is guilty of the breaches. Nevertheless, assuming there is proof of the charges, the Premier League must make City an example. Everton and Forest both faced points deductions for single breaches. The reigning Champions, however, allegedly broke the rules 115 times. They also did not cooperate with Premier League officials in at least part of the investigation.

Assuming City is guilty, a one-time points penalty, no matter how many points, seems light. The rich club would spend one season down in the Championship, only to likely come right back up to the top flight. City’s owners have shown that they are not afraid to spend large amounts of money. As a result, they would likely eat the financial ramifications of one year in the second tier.

Instead, the suggestion that City could face points deductions over multiple seasons makes more sense. After all, the club allegedly breached significant financial rules over several years, so why can’t a penalty affect more than one season?

Whatever happens to City, if anything at all, will be unclear until 2025. The upcoming hearing will last 10 weeks. Assuming authorities find the club guilty, a lengthy appeals process would then follow. Premier League officials have made it clear, however, that the situation needs a conclusion before the end of the 2024/25 season.

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