Man City FFP: Neville wants three severe sanctions but stops short of triple relegation

Gary Neville thinks Manchester City should have their owners removed as part of their FFP punishment, but the pundit does not want the club to be relegated to League Two.

Man City have been found guilty by an independent panel of 114 of the 115 financial charges brought against them by the Premier League. The commission found that City used a series of ‘sham’ contracts to inflate sponsorship income by a whopping £830million between 2009 and 2018.

City used those contracts to disguise payments being made by their owners. Such payments allowed the club to sign a plethora of world-class players to create some of the best teams the Premier League has ever seen.

City were also found guilty of failing to co-operate with the Premier League on three out of four counts, which could increase the severity of any punishment levelled against them.

City CEO Ferran Soriano has called the saga a ‘Premier League conspiracy theory’, and the club has launched an appeal.

Sources understand they could take the fight to clear their name all the way to the High Court.

But rival clubs want punishment to take place well before the result of that appeal, and ideally this season.

On Overlap Daily, Neville revealed the three main punishments he wants to see.

“I think the owners should go, the titles should be stripped for the relevant period, and there should be a multi-year points punishment,” Neville said.

“The owners and executives are going to struggle to remain in place if the same test that I have to follow as a director and owner is applied consistently.

“I’m not particularly fixated on relegating Manchester City to League One or League Two. I want the club to return to the Premier League.

“I was speaking to a City fan this morning who said supporters are going to wear retro kits on Sunday to show that they love the club and would go back to where they were if they had to. If that is what they do, good luck to them.

“But I can understand why the Premier League, politicians and regulators are concerned about the impact of removing the owners.

“For the club, the city and the east side of Manchester, the economic consequences would be enormous. That is the context, even though I have been clear about the punishment I think should happen.”

Leading sports lawyer Dan Chapman has exclusively told us that he is surprised City have still not switched into ‘damage limitation mode’, as if they lose the appeal then they will have made ‘the sanction stage of these proceedings more difficult for themselves’.

Man City boss Maresca acting defiantly

Ahead of City’s difficult trip to Liverpool on Sunday, Enzo Maresca told a press conference: “First of all morning, I understand the reason why most of you are here. There is a process ongoing; I completely trust the club.

“I trust the club, and I trust the people; that is why I joined the club. There is no other club where I would like to be.”

When asked if he would leave if City’s appeal fails, Maresca responded: “I will speak about this when we win the appeal. No sense to speak about anything. I understand why you are here because you want to hear something.”

Maresca was then quizzed about whether he would stay at the Etihad if City got relegated. “I won the Championship with Leicester, League One, we will see,” he replied.

Fabrizio Romano has provided his information on Erling Haaland’s transfer stance amid the turmoil surrounding City.

Emile Heskey, meanwhile, has named the two City players he would like Liverpool to swoop for.