Arsenal Opinion: Day 2 Update of the Man City’s 115 charges and possible sanctions | OneFootball

Despite trying to keep the location of their hearing hush hush, Man City’s ‘trial of the century’ appears to be taking place at London’s International Dispute Resolution Centre. If your familiar with the area you know that’s a short walk from St Paul’s Cathedral.

Obviously, a lot of this process will be behind closed doors, expected to last 10 weeks.

I can tell you a sandwich will cost you 13.95! Or 35.00 if you fancy a buffet.

Hiring a room daily ranges from 1,125 to 4,845 while it’s a pound to print on page of paper (15p at my library).

Of course, both parties can afford it. As expected, both are being represented by some of the best lawyers in the UK.

In the Blue Corner is Lord Pannick. He’s already successfully overturned UEFA kicking the club out of Europe and dramatically forced their fine to be reduced.

The 68-year-old was able to argue on appeal that the 5-year time bar had elapsed. There is no CAS in this procedure.

You might remember him advising Boris Johnson during ‘Party Gate’ and defeating the Government in Supreme Court over the prorogation of Parliament.

He was appointed Queen (now King’s Council) in 1992. In other words, …. he’s good at his job. If you need his representation, by the way he will cost you 5.000 pound an hour!

Seems they are going to a lot of hassle at the Etihad given they claim they have had evidence for the last 20 months that prove their innocence.

Legal experts believe their defence will be the leaked email which led to these charges being unlawful and therefore should be discounted.

Throughout Monday a picture started to emerge of what the most realistic sanctions will be if the Champions are found guilty. The panel don’t have the power to simply relegate the team but can give points deductions which could essentially lead to that.

They do have the freedom to completely ban them from the Premier League but that would be extreme. Not surprisingly the majority of their peers in the League will be pressuring for the strictest punishment if proves that the rules have been broken. Their support is vital because any legal costs the Prem have to pay (could be tens of millions) are paid for by the 19 other clubs in the division. Hence why it’s vital that off record, some billionaire owners support this action against City.

Those same clubs would have the right to sue for compensation, especially if they feel the cheating cost them the revenue of a title or European Qualification.

Most will be interested to hear that any appeal procedure would still be resolved before May.

In other words, if Pep Guardiola’s men were deducted 30 points in February, they couldn’t drag that over to the next season.

While Pep Guardiola has often been the mouthpiece for the club, former players have started to come out and stress that they were assured by the club’s Sporting Director and CEO that not one rule has been broken.

What happens inside the Centre daily (unless leaked) won’t be known by the media and will not be allowed inside.

That is believed to have frustrated the City’s peers who want transparency. A lawyer who has represented one of these clubs in the past says legally there would be zero reason why the public can’t hear what the three-person panel will discuss. ‘Justice doesn’t just need to be done – it needs to be seen to be done.”

“There is no reason, in principle, why it is not being held in public. It would ensure it is covered accurately in the media and that the actual detail of any case – what exactly has been alleged and how it is being defended – is picked over and known to the fans.

“That in itself acts as a control over clubs and owners – who generally care very much about their image – to abide by the rules but is also a protection to help ensure a fair hearing.”

Dan

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