Stephen Dunmoye
The English Premier League has announced the date for a long awaited Manchester City 115 charges hearing.
An announcement stated that the hearing will commence on Monday, September 16, and could last for at least two months, with a decision not expected until next year.
Guardiola, who joined City in 2016, has always echoed the voices of the club’s hierarchy as they continue to deny any infractions and wrongdoing.
“Start soon, and hopefully finish soon,” Guardiola said when asked about the hearing at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “I am looking forward to the decision.
“I’m happy it’s starting on Monday. I know there will be more rumours, new specialists about the sentences.
“We’re going to see. I know what people are looking forward to, what they expect. I know what I read for many, many years. Everybody is innocent until guilt is proven. So we’ll see.”
The Premier League champions are facing a total of 115 charges: 80 breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018, plus a further 35 for failing to comply with a Premier League investigation.
City are currently being accused of failure to provide accurate information about their finances between 2009 and 2018, including sponsorship generated revenue as well as details of managers and players salaries.
The Etihad outfit run the risk of severe points deduction and possible demotion from England’s top-flight if eventually pronounced guilty on some or all of the numerous charges.
These charges initially surfaced in February 2023 from the Premier League. However, its taken a while for an independent commission to agree on a hearing date.
In the period that’s under review, City won three Premier League titles. However, since then, they’ve picked up five more league titles as well as their first Champions League title and treble.
The Manchester club have since displaced their city rivals, Manchester United, at the apex of the Premier League, winning eight of the last 13 league titles, including a record four consecutive titles in the past four seasons.
Guardiola’s men, who have started the 2024-25 season in blistering form with three wins from as many games, are in action this weekend, as they host Brentford in matchday four.