Pep Guardiola has suggested that a verdict on Manchester City’s alleged financial misconduct, involving 115 charges, could arrive as soon as February or March. This development comes following the hearing’s conclusion on December 6 following a three-month-long trial in London.
Manchester City stood firm against all accusations of financial irregularities supposedly committed between 2009 and 2018. Despite the number of charges amounting to 130, the Premier League champions have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Throughout the trial, the potential ramifications loomed over Guardiola and his squad. The various possible outcomes could include loss of titles, hefty fines, bans on transfers, deduction of points, or the most extreme scenario – relegation.
As deliberations concluded recently, an independent committee must now evaluate each charge before delivering specific rulings. There hasn’t been an official timeline disclosed for this process.
Guardiola, who typically remains tight-lipped about such matters, indicated during his pre-match press conference for the Aston Villa game that clarity on the matter may be just around the corner, making him the most direct source of this estimated timeframe yet.
When quizzed about whether the uncertainty might deter prospective January signings, as quoted by The Guardian, he responded: “I don’t know. It’s going to happen in winter time. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I know the people are expecting that but I don’t know. In February, March, [maybe] will be the sentence.”
This would mark a quicker turnaround than many anticipated, with initial talks before the trial began hinting that a verdict might not come until after the 2024/25 Premier League season ends. Regardless of the result, it is reported that the losing party is likely to appeal, potentially prolonging the issue.
