Manchester City have been found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission, in the biggest disciplinary case in the history of the competition.
The verdict was announced during the international break in early October. The charges cover a period in which the club won three Premier League titles, and the possible punishments range from a fine to a points deduction or even expulsion from the league, although any sanction has yet to be decided.
City have always denied wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal against the commission's findings, setting up a potentially lengthy legal process before any punishment is finalised.
The ruling has already divided opinion across football. Former City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips told Flashscore he would not support stripping the club's players of their medals, arguing that what the players, fans and manager achieved could not be bought. I'm not a big fan of stripping the medals, he said. That's just my personal opinion. Wright-Phillips, who came through City's academy and had two spells at the club, backed new manager Enzo Maresca to continue his flawless start after succeeding Pep Guardiola, the architect of City's dominant years.
The case has also become a talking point inside the England camp. Head coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged that the scandal had become a big subject among his squad during the international break, with several City players in the national team setup. It is a big subject, Tuchel said. But everyone speaks about it, there is no other voice needed to add to all this.
On the pitch, City have made a perfect start to the season under Maresca, winning all five of their opening Premier League games before the verdict was announced. But the shadow of the disciplinary case now hangs over everything the club does. If the appeal fails, the commission's sanctions could reshape the title race and raise profound questions about the legitimacy of one of the most successful eras in English football history. The verdict dropped during the international break, landing just hours before England's 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in Nations League qualifying, with several City players in Thomas Tuchel's squad. With the appeal process potentially stretching over many months, the uncertainty is set to loom over the entire season and beyond. For now, City insist they have done nothing wrong, and the fight moves to the appeal room.