Manchester City could be docked a whopping 100 points if the charges levied against them are proven, according to football expert Kieran Maguire. This would mean a certain relegation for the defending champions.
Manchester City are currently facing 115 charges regarding their alleged breach of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. The breaches in question cover the nine-year period from 2009 onwards and the Cityzens have just learned what their punishment could potentially be.
Maguire expects that should all 115 charges be proven, Manchester City could face a deduction of anywhere between 60 and 100 points.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Kieran Maguire said (as quoted by Metro):
"They’d have to be looking at a very significant points deduction if all he 115 charges are proven. Then you would imagine the points deduction would be somewhere in the region of 60 to 100 points on the basis that they’d want the club to have have suffered enough to be on heading out of the division."
"Whilst the hearing will finish in eight weeks, if you’ve got all of that evidence to present to the commission, they’re probably going to take three to four months because they’ve got to rule on each of those 115 charges separately.
"If they are guilty of all of them then it’s got to be so severe that any club that thinks about going down that route again will realise that it would be a very detrimental thing for that club’s future," he continued.
Legal proceedings are set to commence this month and a verdict is expected in early 2025.
"I don't think there will be any issues" - Aymeric Laporte opens up about Manchester City's 115 charges
Aymeric Laporte has revealed what the Manchester City chiefs informed the players when the club was levied with the 115 charges. The Spaniard stated that he was told there was nothing to worry about.
Laporte enjoyed quite a successful career during his time at the Etihad. He won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and one UEFA Champions League with the Cityzens.
The Spanish centre-back departed Manchester last summer in favor of a move to Al-Nassr, playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. He has now opened up about what those upstairs at Manchester City have told players regarding the charges.
Laporte said (via GIVEMESPORT):
"When I was there and the news broke, the sporting director (Txiki Begiristain) and the CEO (Ferran Soriano) came and told all the players and staff that we can all be very calm because not one rule has been broken by Man City."
"They told us everything was fine so that’s why we all think City will be fine. I don’t think there will be any issues. Like Pep Guardiola always says, if something wrong has been done, they will have to pay for it," he added.
Manchester City will next face Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, September 18.