English clubs consider suing Manchester City

Some Premier League clubs have begun retaining lawyers to explore opportunities for compensation following Manchester City’s conviction for breaches of financial fair play regulations.

Earlier on Friday, The Athletic reported that Manchester City was found guilty of 114 out of 115 alleged financial breaches, intensifying pressure on the English club as several Premier League teams consider legal action to seek compensation.

The newspaper also noted that several clubs have already engaged legal counsel to assess their prospects for compensation, with such discussions accelerating as some clubs believe they may have suffered sporting and financial harm if Manchester City’s violations deprived them of qualification for the UEFA Champions League or caused them to lose sponsorship revenue.

The case may recall the Everton and Burnley incident, after an independent panel in June last year ordered Everton to pay £35.1 million (€40.8 million) to Burnley, concluding that Everton’s breach of profit and sustainability rules had given it a sporting advantage. However, any potential legal action against Manchester City will have to be postponed until the appeal process in the current case is concluded. According to The Athletic, the possibility of a class-action lawsuit involving several Premier League clubs against Manchester City is being explored, should the harm suffered as a result of the alleged violations be confirmed.