The hearing into Manchester City’s 130 charges has now concluded, with a verdict expected before February but appeals likely to last until next season.
Martyn Ziegler reports for The Times that Manchester City’s hearing into a 14-year period of rule breaches came to an end on Friday after nearly three months of legal arguments.
Ziegler reports that one senior legal source suggests the three-man panel judging the case could reach a verdict by the end of January, and they’ll be working hard to come to a decision as soon as possible.
But the complexity of the case could mean delays, and if City are charges, they’re almost certain to lodge an appeal that could take another six-to-eight months.
Ziegler also confirms reports that the hearing is into 130 charges, not 115 as the Premier League initially stated.
There was reportedly confusion over some of the rules when the Premier League made their announcement in February 2023, and the total has since been updated from 115 to 130.
From the sounds of things, we should at least know whether City have been found guilty of those 130 charges within the next couple of months. But it may be a while until any sanctions potentially resulting from the verdict actually come into effect.
It would be strange and frustrating if alleged breaches from as long ago as 2010/11 only end up coming back to bite City in the 2025/26 season, or perhaps even later.
By that point, City would already have benefitted from at least a decade and a half building on the foundations they set up all the way back in 2010.
If City are found guilty, we can only hope the punishment will reflect the extent of the benefits they’ve received through the alleged crimes.