Manchester City strike back! Club finds loophole in Premier League rules
Manchester City could be preparing another procedural move in the biggest legal battle in English football.
Details: According to Sky Sports, Manchester City may attempt to drag out the appeal process against the Premier League's guilty verdict for as long as possible. The league introduced new rules requiring appeal hearings to be completed within 12 weeks, creating what appears to be a clear deadline for the next stage of the case.
However, City's legal team could challenge that timetable. Their potential argument is based on the timing of the original case: the club was charged in 2023, before the Premier League introduced the new rules governing the duration of appeal hearings.
That could open another procedural dispute between Manchester City and the Premier League. If the club argues successfully that the 12-week deadline cannot be applied retrospectively, the appeal process could potentially continue beyond the timeframe currently set out in the competition's regulations.
The appeal is the latest stage of a lengthy legal battle following the independent commission's guilty verdict. It is worth noting that the key date behind City's possible argument is 2023, when the original charges were brought — before the new 12-week appeal rule was introduced.
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Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
