Manchester City could face fines, a points deduction or even relegation, but the Premier League may wait a long time before imposing any punishment after the club was found guilty of 114 financial-rule breaches.

An independent panel reportedly found City guilty of all but one of the 115 charges against the club. The charges cover nine seasons from 2009 to 2018.

However, City are expected to appeal the ruling. That could extend the case further after a four-year investigation led to the charges in February 2023.

A soccer source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed Friday’s media reports about the verdict. The source told Reuters on Monday that the process was expected to “drag on.”

City have always denied wrongdoing. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak also responded to the reports in an open letter to supporters on Saturday.

“The Premier League ​process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the ⁠club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” he wrote.

If City appeal, a three-person board will hear the case. The club cannot take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

CAS previously overturned City’s two-year Champions League ban from UEFA. European soccer’s governing body had imposed that ban after accusing City of overstating sponsorship revenue between 2012 and 2016.

Sanctions could affect title race

The current Premier League season could end before the case reaches an outcome. City currently lead the table after five straight wins.

Even if the Premier League announces sanctions during the campaign, an appeal could delay their implementation.

A large points deduction could push City from the title race into a relegation battle. A sufficiently heavy penalty could even leave them fighting to avoid relegation.

The case could also affect the league’s records.

Juventus suffered relegation to Serie B after the Calciopoli scandal in Italy. The club also lost two Serie A titles.

The Premier League could face similar questions if City lose titles retrospectively.

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