Abu Dhabi vs Premier League - 115 charges and a countersuit

Pretty significant news out today that City has launched legal action against the Premier League, in relation to the 115 charges against them.

https://archive.is/2024.06.04-145523/https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/man-city-legal-action-premier-league-hearing-7k6r5glhq#selection-2705.0-2705.156

Shamelessly stolen form reddit:

Essentially they're trying to delegitimise one of the pillars of the charges against them (that they inflated their sponsors). If they can argue that those rules were unlawful, it will help them defend the charges. [...]

Here are some hilarious excerpts from their legal claim:

They'll have the best lawyers their dirty oil money can buy as well. 

This could turn very ugly.

They have become the first club in English football history to win both four titles in a row and 6 in 7 and they are trying to argue they don't have an unfair advantage nor have they distorted the league's competitive balance?

Laughable.

I was told that for the start of the petro-state period with Chelsea then City the Premier League rules were not really clear and this might be a problem? It was kind of anything goes?

Compared to Forest and Everton where it’s by this this date finances need to be at this percent of revenue or whatever, which is comparatively straightforward. 

I’m starting to really hate this club. They are just trying to bully everyone with their team of high powered lawyers. Some of the UK football blogs are saying this is a not very subtle attempt to intimidate the authorities before the judgment is made on the 130 financial illegality charges.
Everyone knows they have been cheating. In a recent interview Klopp was asked about the two titles that Liverpool narrowly lost to City. He made a tongue in cheek comment about how he will enjoy the victory parade in Liverpool when justice is done.
Trouble is justice won’t be done. This is what happens when you let countries own football club. City’s owners do huge business with the UK. Apparently the British govt has been lobbied by the Emirates to shut this down (source Guardian) City will get a fine and keep all their titles.

Man City are cods.
Man City are cods.
Man City are cods.

Enough said.

Does it surprise anyone that a club with all the money in the world claims that the rules unfairly disadvantage them? Utter cods! Basically saying that the rules stop us from out spending our rivals in roder to dominate the league - despite doing exactly that for the last four seasons! This is gonna drag on for years, because that's exactly what the owners will want their lawyers to do, the league lwayers will be fighting petty little injuctions so that by the time the actual case is ehard the owners have made their money and run. When the final verdict is heard 10 years down the track, the actual offence will hav been forgotten by everyone and any correction to the table of years gone by will be laregely menaingless.

Related to what theprof has said, is there a statue of limitations on all these charges? If so them stalling isn't just trying to avoid the inevitable, it could literally be used to make this all go away.

loyalgunner

Related to what theprof has said, is there a statue of limitations on all these charges? If so them stalling isn't just trying to avoid the inevitable, it could literally be used to make this all go away.

I don't think so - statue of limitations limits the period when things can be initiated. Not the length of the case itself. These charges have been initiated.

I realise he's not everyone's favorite bloke but, I recall an interview when Elon Musk was asked what it's like being the richest man in the world. He replied stating he wasn't even close, and that the richest people on earth had their own militaries and their own economies.

That's always stuck with me - despite the grotesque level of wealth and power billionaires can project, it simply doesn't register against those who control entire nations such as Putin or Sheikh Mansour.

The Premier League have a bloody mighty battle on their hands and quite frankly so does the government. Saw a comment that the Premier League's legal expenses have increased from £5m pounds to £20m a year. The Premier League is certainly resourced to fight it.

20 Legend

loyalgunner

Related to what theprof has said, is there a statue of limitations on all these charges? If so them stalling isn't just trying to avoid the inevitable, it could literally be used to make this all go away.

I don't think so - statue of limitations limits the period when things can be initiated. Not the length of the case itself. These charges have been initiated.

 Good point!

Excellent article in today’s Guardian by Barney Ronay. It’s a good read. You let the tiger into your house and it will end up eating you.