Man City FFP: City set for ‘punished but not destroyed’ sanction amid ‘100%’ claim on Haaland next move
It is felt that Manchester City will be ‘punished but not destroyed’ if their guilty FFP verdict stands after an appeal.
During the international break, it was confirmed that Man City have been found guilty on 114 of their 115 charges after being accused of breaching the Premier League’s FFP rules between 2009 and 2018.
Man City have appealed the initial verdict as they continue to insist on their innocence, but they face severe sanctions if they cannot clear their name.
There is widespread anger at Man City, but they beat 10-man Liverpool 3-0 in their first game since the guilty verdict at the weekend.
Enzo Maresca‘s side are now preparing to face PSG in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday night, and it has emerged that former boss Pep Guardiola will attend the game to show solidarity.
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‘City need to be punished but not destroyed’
On Guardiola returning, The Athletic’s Man City correspondent, Sam Lee, has stated that the current appetite is for the club to be ‘punished but not destroyed’ if the guilty verdict stands.
‘Expected to sit alongside key figures such as CEO Ferran Soriano and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak to watch the PSG game, Guardiola’s presence will remind the watching world of City’s position, that they still very much believe they will win the appeal and not face any punishments at all.
‘There is a sense of that conflict behind the scenes of the Premier League judgment and what punishments could follow if City’s appeal fails; other clubs want harsh penalties but appreciate there could be an adverse impact on the league itself and, therefore, their own ability to make money. There appears to be a recognition that City need to be punished but not destroyed.’
Former Premier League winger Robert Snodgrass, meanwhile, has predicted a “massive fire sale” if Man City drop to the Championship or below.
And Snodgrass has also argued that world-class striker Erling Haaland will “100%” join one of three teams if/when he leaves Man City.
“No matter where Erling Haaland goes, I think clubs need to be focusing on how quick they can get the ball to Haaland, and having good wingers and number 10s around him that can slip him in,” Snodgrass told Snabbare.
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“For me, he’s one of the best in the world, no doubt. He thrives on chances, sometimes he makes his own chances with just long balls and his pace and his power.
“Every single time they question him, it’s a little bit like Harry Kane, they find a way to come and dig deep and get themselves on the scoresheet. I think no matter where he goes, he’ll score goals. You create chances for him, have players running about that have got that sort of football IQ and intelligence that can find spaces.
“He’s so difficult for any team to try and defend against. So, yeah, I would probably say one of the big ones in Barcelona, Real or Bayern, 100%.”
He added: “I think all the big players, if they get relegated, the natural thing they would want to be in the Premier League, they’d want to try and play at the top level. I think everyone would see a massive fire sale with players leaving.”
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