Javier Tebas says Manchester City deserve justice over charges
- LaLiga president Javier Tebas has stated that Manchester City deserve to face justice after an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 out of 115 Premier League...
- The investigation determined that the club artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs by more than UK£900 million between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, a span covering three of...
- Tebas drew a direct line from his public warnings delivered at a September 2017 Soccerex event in Manchester to the current verdicts.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has stated that Manchester City deserve to face justice after an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 out of 115 Premier League financial charges.
The investigation determined that the club artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs by more than UK£900 million between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, a span covering three of their eight Premier League titles. The panel also found the club failed to cooperate during the investigation, while City stated that the process remains ongoing and did not deny the guilty verdicts.
Financial Doping Allegations and the 2017 Soccerex Clash
Tebas drew a direct line from his public warnings delivered at a September 2017 Soccerex event in Manchester to the current verdicts. The LaLiga chief recalled that Ferran Soriano called him to express anger over those early criticisms regarding financial doping in European football.
🚨 LaLiga president Tebas takes aim at Man City's financial charges- Javier Tebas has condemned Man City, saying "we need justice for the Premier League, for Europe and UEFA"- City have been found guilty by the Premier League of breaching financial rules 114 times- Tebas… pic.twitter.com/PzK95MK3P7
Economic sustainability is not bureaucracy. Financial control is not a whim. And arguing that clubs should compete fundamentally with the resources they are able to generate doesn’t mean being against any specific club either. It’s about defending a model.Javier Tebas
Tebas also criticized the 2020 Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling that overturned a two-year UEFA ban against City as a deeply misguided decision that damaged the credibility of European financial controls. While UEFA’s previous penalties included a reduced €10 million fine, the Premier League holds no such statute of limitations, opening the door for severe penalties if the verdicts survive the appeal process.
Wider Governance Reform Across FIFA and UEFA
Beyond the domestic case in England, Tebas called for sweeping administrative reforms at both FIFA and UEFA. The LaLiga president criticized FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s management style and plans regarding World Cup stakes, insisting that governing monopolies must operate with complete transparency according to sports law rulings.
Tebas pointed out that LaLiga’s strict economic spending limits have left Spanish clubs with a fraction of the debt burdens carried by their European counterparts. He argued that robust financial regulations protect the overall ecosystem and ensure sporting success relies on superior management rather than external financial backing.
Pending Appeals and Potential Premier League Sanctions
With Manchester City actively appealing the independent commission’s decision, the exact nature of the final sanctions remains unconfirmed. While publications such as The Athletic first reported the scope of the guilty verdicts, the Premier League declined to comment on what it termed a private and confidential process.
Rival English clubs have reportedly weighed potential legal actions stemming from the conduct under review, which also affected continental competitors during Champions League fixtures. Tebas emphasized that a firm resolution is vital to establish a clear deterrent for any organization seeking to bend financial rules in the future.