Many Premier League clubs believe Manchester City ‘should be sanctioned’, claims La Liga president

The belief that Manchester City should be sanctioned is shared amongst ‘many’ Premier League clubs, according to La Liga president Javier Tebas.

The Premier League champions are expecting to see their independent hearing over 115 alleged breaches of the English top-flights financial rules begin next week, with a final outcome on the matter anticipated to arrive before the end of the season.

The Premier League first issued their charges upon Manchester City back in February 2023 following a four-year investigation, referring the club to an independent commission over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018.

In direct response to the matter, and in stance that the club have maintained since, Manchester City said at the time that they were “surprised” by the charges and are supported by a “body of irrefutable evidence”.

But one prominent member of the European football community, and a public critic of Manchester City and their business, has maintained the belief that the club should be on the receiving end of sanctions.

According to La Liga boss Javier Tebas, speaking during a new conversation with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, ‘many’ Premier League clubs believe Manchester City should be sanctioned via their 115 charges issued by the English top-flight in February 2023.

“I have spoken with many Premier League clubs and most of them understand that (Manchester) City should be sanctioned,” Tebas told Spanish media.

Tebas went on to add that ‘they (Manchester City) were once acquitted by the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) for a formal matter,’ suggesting that the reversal of the Etihad club’s UEFA competition ban was only on a technicality.

Javier Tebas has also somewhat praised the Premier League for ‘getting their act together’ and sanctioning other top-flight clubs for breaches of financial regulations as he added, “This year they have got their act together and have taken away points.”

“They have an economic dumping that was damaging to Spanish football. We could not do the same because we would return to 2010, when clubs disappeared due to debts.”

Manchester City successfully overturned a two-year ban from European club competitions back in July 2020, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) announced the club were cleared of “disguising equity funds as sponsorship contributions”.

Manchester City’s fine was also cut in the process, reduced from an initial €30 million or £26.9 million to €10 million. Cas said at the time that City did “fail to cooperate with Uefa authorities” but overturned the decision by Uefa’s club financial control body to ban them.

In response to the matter four years ago, Manchester City said the decision was “validation of the club’s position and the body of evidence that it was able to present”.

“The club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered,” City added.