MANCHESTER City will tomorrow walk into a room full of the Prem clubs who want them booted OUT of the League.
A two-day scheduled series of meetings of the 20 clubs and Prem board is due to begin at lunchtime in a central London hotel.
And it means City representatives will sit down around the conference table with the clubs pushing for the ultimate punishment if the 115 alleged breaches of League rules are proved.
Chief executive Ferran Soriano is City’s usual frontman at Prem meetings, although it is unclear if he will attend today’s session or the one tomorrow morning.
But whoever is sent on behalf of City will be certain of a frosty reception with rival clubs determined to demand the harshest of sanctions including relegation from the top flight if the final outcome goes against the champions.
The City case is not on the formal agenda in any form over either today’s “strategy” meeting or tomorrow’s “shareholder” gathering.
read more on football
But it will be the main topic of conversation between the clubs with fingers being pointed and a growing calls for retribution.
Club bosses are already talking privately of potential compensation claims against City for loss of revenues caused by their alleged financial regulation breaches.
Prem chiefs might be reluctant to see retrospective points deductions with charges relating to a total period of 14 seasons including this term.
The knock-on effect of any such sanctions could be a legal minefield as well.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
But the three-man commission, to be appointed by Murray Rosen KC, head of the Prem’s Judicial Panel, does have the power to order reparations.
Rosen can appoint himself as chairman but his Arsenal membership has already been raised as an issue.
In any case, City have the right to argue against the appointment of any of the panel members if they can make a case for a lack of genuine independence.
But League Rule W.51.5 gives the commission “the power to award compensation to any Person or Club” if a complaint is upheld – although clubs would have to provide “evidence of loss”.
However, if no compensation award is made – and clubs would have the right to ask for an Appeal hearing on that issue alone if a guilty verdict is reached – the situation would be different.
Rule W.28 states that, in such a situation, clubs “will not be able to bring any further claim of any kind (whether for compensation, in damages or otherwise) against the Respondent Club arising out of the breach of these Rules”.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
