​How long will Man City case take to resolve? Club CEO tells commission that charges could drag out further originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.With reports that Manchester City have been found guilty on nearly all the charges brought forth by the Premier League, the attention turns to what happens next.The Premier League giants are embroiled in a legal battle against the English top flight which sees them potentially subjected to severe penalties for alleged financial irregularities over the last 15-20 years.The future of many superstar players in the Manchester City squad hangs in the balance, as this monumental decision could alter the course of global football for the next decade.But when will the case be over? It’s hard to know exactly, but it appears there is still more to be decided.MORE:Man City appeal Premier League guilty verdict | Will Man City be relegated?How long will Man City case take to resolve?While it may seem like the end of the process is here, it seems like in actuality, we still may be a long way from a resolution.Speaking to the European Football Commission board in Copenhagen on Monday, September 28, Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano said the case will take a while longer. “It has already taken eight years and will take a lot more time,” Soriano said.Soriano stood while reporters lobbed questions in his direction, but he did not answer any of them.What are the next steps for Man City case?First, the Premier League must speak on the case, as they have not confirmed the reports of the guilty verdict as of yet.From there, it is widely understood that City will challenge any guilty verdict from the Premier League, as has been their approach in their various cases with football’s governing bodies, going back to the Football Leaks revelations of 2018.In an open letter to supporters on Saturday, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak wrote: “The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began.”Unlike in their case with UEFA in 2020, where City were banned from the Champions League for two years before having their punishment overturned at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), there is no recourse to CAS under Premier League rules.Like the initial hearing, the appeal board would hear representation in private. It is important to note that the appeal would not be a retrial; it is a review of the decision of the initial commission hearing.Given that ran over 21 months, it is fair to assume that the independent commission went to great lengths to ensure that its verdict was as appeal-proof as possible on the facts of the case.