Manchester City hearing to examine 115 Premier League charges starts in London

Manchester City lawyers arrived at London’s International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC) on Monday as a hearing to examine 115 Premier League charges issued against the club began.

Lord Pannick KC from Blackstone Chambers, who is leading City’s legal team, was pictured arriving at the IDRC, close to St Paul’s Cathedral in central London.

The charges facing City, who won a fourth straight Premier League title in May, date back as far as the 2009-10 season.

It is thought the club, who are also accused of failing to co-operate with an investigation, could face a range of punishments including a severe points penalty or even expulsion from the Premier League if found guilty.

The club deny any wrongdoing and have previously said they have a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” to support their stance.

City’s financial affairs have come under regular scrutiny since their takeover by Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008.

In 2020 they were banned from European competition after being found guilty of breaking UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, but successfully challenged that ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.