Manchester City might not find out their fate in their financial battle with the Premier League until the summer as the verdict has been delayed again, according to a report.
The Premier League have accused Man City of breaking their financial rules on more than 100 occasions between 2009 and 2018. They originally charged City with 115 breaches but have since increased that number to 130.
The case was handed to an independent commission who heard both sides’ arguments between September and December last year.
City strongly deny the accusations and claim they have ‘irrefutable evidence’ which will prove the Premier League wrong.
Pep Guardiola revealed earlier this season that he expected to hear the result in March, though that deadline came and went.
As per The Telegraph, City fans and rival supporters will have to wait even longer to discover the verdict as it is now ‘unlikely’ to arrive before the summer.
The report states that the verdict being delayed ‘is not a surprise in legal circles’ due to ‘the number of charges, the complexities involved, the amount of evidence heard and challenged and the scrutiny of the case’.
It has been dubbed the ‘trial of the century’ given how it could impact City, the Premier League and the wider European football landscape.
The commission has unlimited powers to punish City if they find the club guilty, which includes a huge points deduction or even relegation from the top flight.
But City emerging victorious would throw both the Premier League’s power and financial rules into serious doubt.
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City have been accused of providing inaccurate records of sponsorship deals and other income, and of failing to cooperate with the four-year investigation into their accounts.
Guardiola has asked for judgement to be reserved until after the verdict arrives, though there is likely to be an appeal whatever the result.
With the verdict being delayed once again, there is the prospect of an appeal affecting a host of other teams this season and impacting future campaigns, too.
City sit sixth and are competing for Champions League qualification, though they could drop into the relegation zone if they are found guilty and given a huge points deduction.
It has been suggested that City’s case could kickstart ‘legal warfare’ with several other top-flight clubs launching compensation claims of their own.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has stated that City’s penalty could reach 40-50 points – they currently have 52 points from 31 matches.
Maguire also hinted that lawyers who are being paid by the day will be doing little to help speed up the process.
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An observer has claimed City are ramping up the pressure on the Premier League as they are also engaged in a legal wrangle over associated party transaction (APT) rules.
City state that the rules have been ‘distorted’ and are aiding other clubs such as Arsenal and Everton.
It has been revealed that the Premier League will likely have to pay over £100m in legal fees this season as they tussle with City on multiple fronts.
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