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How can the Premier League go on as normal this season?

Miguel Delaney's Inside Football

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As all of the continent’s biggest clubs gathered in Copenhagen, their executives couldn’t help trying to catch a glimpse of one man. Ferran Soriano, in his usual role representing Manchester City at the European Football Clubs general assembly, was described as looking like “a walking statue”.

Some counterparts even felt that he was repeatedly putting headphones in his ear to appear to be on the phone, so he wouldn’t have to engage in awkward conversation.

Whether true or not, Soriano had arguably said enough. While the rest of the world was by then poring over the Premier League independent commission’s excoriating decision in the City case, the club had issued a video to staff in response. It somehow went even further than the official statement, which had remarkably described the panel’s “opinion” as “unsafe”.

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20 Comments

@howarddavis2281 10 hours ago

Miguel's coverage of this scandal is the best of any out there. Top class.

@patl709 11 hours ago (edited)

I thought the Prime Ministers comments on this case were disgraceful. He compared the Everton case with the City case, and said that Everton was treated unfairly, which it wasn't. By implication, although he later tried to claim later in the same interview, that he was unfamiliar with the City case so he could not comment on it, he was inferring that the City case was unfair. If ever there was a case of double speak this was it. The UK has become a weak country, unable, or unwilling, to stand up to other countries and defend itself and its institutions. Kowtowing to dictators always ends badly as the dictators will always end up asking for more.

@peterm7548 11 hours ago (edited)

I really don't want to watch the PL until this is sorted out. I will probably watch the game at Liverpool on 10 October just to see what kind of reaction City get from the Anfield crowd. But I have stopped caring about the results any more. I feel that something wonderful has been taken away from me for the sake of sportswashing by owners which the PL should never have allowed to buy City in the first place. The ruling elite of this country have sold it off and here are the consequences. Our way of life - of which football is a big part - is being trashed.

@antoinedoinell 12 hours ago

Andy Burnham's comments just show how high the influence and corruption is; otherwise he would have said nothing.

@TobiMesh 10 hours ago

Seriously though, why should clubs be compelled to play them? Especially as they refuse to acknowledge any liability for the profound damage they are doing to these very clubs and the league in general. They have dragged this out for so long to everyone's detriment.
Why should a club commit resources to compete against a club that clearly has no respect for it

@o-o0O0oo0O0o-o 10 hours ago

Anyone who thinks they stopped cheating after 2018 needs thier head checked.

@gartgreenside3657 11 hours ago

IMHO Man City should be subject to a 500 point immediate deduction, with any "unused" posints deductions carried over to the next season. Also 15 year ban from PL, so if they do get back to championship promotion places in 10 years the PL refuses to take them.

We cannot consider jobs or state threats

@roberttai646 12 hours ago

Expulsion is the ONLY solution.

@steveseaman7794 9 hours ago

Everything since the offences is also tainted. If the PL fail to punish City appropriately for the level of abuse, it is going to cost them far more in credibility, reputation, and ultimately, the global value of the PL brand than losing City. Then they need to look closely at the rules and how finances can be both measured and above all, independently monitored.

@gavinthegoliath 9 hours ago

The best thing City Fans could do is disavow the ownership and talk about starting a phoenix club like Wimbledon or FC United.

@gerrygnu1 9 hours ago

Please STOP pushing or cuddling the idea of Cheating shouldn't retroactively lose all titles. Every sports has stripped the champion where cheating has been found.😊

@rel362-o3x 8 hours ago

Premier League should never have allowed a nation-state to own a club in the league.

Now we have a geopolitical problem.

Prime Minister is already making sympathetic noises

@michae.l 9 hours ago

Thank you Miguel

@voightkampff7399 12 hours ago (edited)

Perhaps this helps. The main categories and the number of counts for each violation:

# Failure to provide accurate financial information: 54 counts.

# Failure to cooperate with league investigations: 35 counts.

# Failure to provide accurate details for player and manager payments: 14 counts.

# Breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR): 7 counts.

# Breaching UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations: 5 counts.

@DaveShortt 12 hours ago

UAE practically own Manchester, the pressure is on the UK, expel the Cheats and UAE will pull out their 30billion investment. If you ask me, nothing will happen and that will signal the end of the Premier League and FFP!!

@Bootrosgali 12 hours ago

Pause the PL. Fasttrack the Appeal through High Court. Restart the PL. This is fundamental existentialism threat to a social fabric institution HELLOOOOO??? This is extraordinary evasive maneuver time guys and gals can't you see it? It's a no contest LITERALLY situation. And there IS no contest until there is again and that's the way to go about it.

@manniking233 7 hours ago

If Man City get let off after all the evidence found against them, the other 19 clubs will boycott the EPL. Games will be boycotted and fans will protest and riot in the stands constantly. If the EPL wants to be dissolved with the other 19 forming a breakaway, they should play games with this verdict. The EFL are guaranteed to back us on this, too. So, no FA Cup ties with City will go on, either. We will shut down English football if such open corruption and cheating is allowed to stand. No games will go on and any games that go on will not go on peacefully. We all saw what English fans did to destroy the ESL. Expect twice that if this injustice is allowed to stand by the corrupt government and the FA.