Following an independent hearing, Manchester City faced the possibility of fines or exclusion from the Premier League after it was found that the club violated 114 out of 115 Premier League financial rules.
On the streets of Manchester, people expressed shock and disapproval at the scale of the financial abuses by Manchester City, with some citizens calling for the football club to be relegated from the Premier League. One resident, Kareem Fagega, a 21-year-old student from the city's northwest district, expressed his bewilderment over the fall of 'such a good team,' stating: 'This is a disgrace to football. Football is such a wonderful sport, and we cannot allow stories like this.'
The independent commission discovered that the Abu Dhabi-backed club had entered into 'fake' contracts with several commercial partners. The purpose of these contracts was to artificially increase revenue and reduce costs by more than £900 million between 2009 and 2018. During this period, City won the Premier League title three times, as well as one FA Cup and three League Cups.
Sabrina Lodi, a 33-year-old customer manager, noted after the news broke on Tuesday that while the club has the means to conduct its affairs properly, it chose to act improperly. She also suggested that Manchester City is 'not the only one doing this around the world,' but they 'just got caught.'
Conor Emery, a 25-year-old retail worker who supports City's rivals in the Premier League, Liverpool, was surprised by the 'condemning' verdict. He admitted he expected this scandal to be 'swept under the rug.'
When asked about the possible consequences for the club, some called for relegation, although they hoped the club would avoid it. British Sports Minister Liz Nandy warned that 'the final sanction is indeed very serious,' and the club 'could be excluded from the Premier League.'
Cory, an 18-year-old student and fan of another Manchester club, United, stated: 'I personally think there should be relegation,' emphasizing that the outcome 'depends on what the Premier League stipulates.' Emery also expressed a desire for relegation, possibly through point deductions, but remained skeptical, suggesting a fine was more likely.
In initial reactions from people close to the club, former City defender Micah Richards told The Rest is Football podcast that he was 'absolutely devastated' by the revelations, given that he started playing for the club at the age of 14. He added that he felt sadness, anger, and some confusion due to the lack of information and conflicting reports, especially after the club's CEO, Ferran Soriano, called the verdict a 'Premier League conspiracy theory' and insisted the club 'would be vindicated.'
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane said that if he played for City, he would throw away all the medals. He told ITV television: 'They knew it would upset many people, but they did it anyway, and if I were a player, I would throw those medals in the bin 100 percent.'