Credit Isaac Parkin
Last week, Manchester City took home their fifth Premier League title in six seasons. Pep Guardiola’s team missed out on the title during the 2019-2020 season to Liverpool. Last year City had to wait until the final game of the season to celebrate their win after a close race in the league with Liverpool. The team pulled through in the final ten minutes of the game after being down 2-0 to Aston Villa. This year, the club celebrated early after coming out on top against Chelsea, with two games left in the season. Arsenal had lost to Nottingham Forest, opening up the top spot that City claimed.
While you can’t discredit Guardiola for his coaching genius, the questions surrounding the financial legality of the club still remain. Earlier this season it was announced that the club had 115 charges for breaching Premier League financial rules and could face multiple punishments if proven guilty—one of which includes expulsion from the league. The charges range from 2009— when the club was taken over by the current owner Sheikh Mansour— to 2018.
In 2020, UEFA handed Manchester City a two-year ban from European Competitions after being charged with multiple breaches of Financial Fair Play rules between 2016 and 2018. However, this ban did not last long as the Court of Arbitration of Sport overturned the ban that same
year. City then went on to play in the Champions League final in 2021, losing to fellow Premier League club Chelsea.
Credit Fansided
While no punishments have been put in place yet for the 115 charges, and with how things are looking there most likely won’t be for a while as investigations continue to occur. Manchester City representatives have stated that they believe the club remains innocent and want the investigations to be done quickly as people
continue to talk about it.
Looking at a bench that consists of Kevin De Brunye, Ederson, Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish, who cost the club a record transfer Credit BR Football
fee of £100 million definitely turns some heads of how exactly anyone could afford it.
Looking back at the achievements the club has had in the last thirteen years alone is impressive. Since 2011, City has accumulated seven Premier League title wins, two FA Cup wins, six EFL Cup wins, three FA Community Shield wins, and Champions League runners-up in 2021.
With the Premier League title in the rearview and with two finals booked, the FA Cup against Manchester United on June 3rd, and the Champions League against Inter Milan on June 10, this City team could go down as one of the greatest teams in history. With a big summer transfer window ahead, City has the opportunity to add to their already dominant roster and with one of the finest academy systems in England, that has produced the likes of Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, that they can pull from, this will be no hard achievement. Needless to say, the athleticism of this team is above the rest and it looks like they are on the road for a treble and much more in the coming years.
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