Man City CEO: Premier League verdict based on ‘conspiracy theory’

Former Manchester City chairman David Bernstein has stated that the club must be expelled from the Premier League if their appeal against a guilty verdict fails. The club was found guilty of arranging sham contracts with commercial partners to artificially inflate their revenues and reduce costs between 2009 and 2018. This scheme concealed the true financial state of the club and avoided breaches of Premier League and UEFA spending limits.

An independent commission also found the club guilty on the majority of charges related to their failure to cooperate with the league's investigation. City could face relegation, a points deduction, or a hefty fine. No sanction has been imposed yet, and City has said they will appeal the decision. However, Bernstein believes the club deserves the strongest possible punishment.

He expressed shock at the severity of the verdict and believes the credibility of the league is at stake. British Culture, Media and Sport secretary Lisa Nandy also suggested that relegation could not be ruled out if City's appeal fails. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire stated that City's breaches now appear even worse than initially suspected, suggesting collusion within the club.

While there is a glimmer of hope for City's appeal, even a fan of the club was stunned by the scale of the verdict, suggesting the book be thrown at the club if they fail on appeal.