Ex-Man City adviser: 115 charges verdict ‘very close’ as case closes in on new record

Manchester City’s long-awaited 115 charges verdict is now “very close” to being released to the parties.

That is according to former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider the case is one of the longest deliberations of a first instance decision in British legal history.

Pep Guardiola’s side were dealt the charges by the Premier League in February 2023 for allegedly breaching the financial fair play (FFP) rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.

An independent commission hearing started in September 2024 and ended in December that same year, with the panel still considering its verdict.

There is an expectation Man City will appeal if the decision goes against them after insisting they haven’t done anything wrong over the past three years.

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Man City are facing expulsion from the Premier League due to the seriousness of the charges.

However, the initial decision is only understood to be around liability, with a further sanction hearing to follow if necessary.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson discussed when the decision could be published.

“Clearly, every day that goes by makes it more likely that it’s coming out just because it simply can’t take very much longer to write up something in a private arbitration, notwithstanding the complexity.

“Even the most complicated cases in British legal history have not taken much longer than this.

“It’s not completely unheard of, but it’s getting now very close to being one of the longest deliberations of a first instance decision, so it really must be very close.”

Borson insisted the verdict must be published soon to allow the second stage – if necessary – to begin.

“It has to come out,” said Borson.

“We need that first part of the decision. We understand that it’s the liability decision only, i.e. did City do it or not? Therefore, the whole question of what happens next is still open even after we get that.

“This is just the firing gun on stage two, so it needs to come now. It shouldn’t come before the end of the season, in my view. It would be wrong for it to interfere now, given that we’re so close.

“It would be wrong for it to come out before the Champions League final on 30 May. But into June, then it would be right for it to be released, and it would be appropriate for the firing gun to be started on that next phase if there is to be one.”

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