Man City charges: The era-defining ‘Trial of the Century’ dissected
“It is a battle for the soul of the Premier League – what happens off the pitch this season will define us for a generation.”
That was the verdict of one leading football official ahead of the start in September of what has been billed as sport’s ‘Trial of the Century’.
In one corner is the Premier League, the world’s most popular sports league and one of Britain’s most successful cultural exports. In the other is Manchester City, the club who have dominated the competition with eight titles in the past 13 seasons, including an unbroken streak of four in a row that they hope will become five this term.
The hearing, which is expected to last around 10 weeks, has engaged some of the country’s finest legal brains.
Expulsion from the Premier League is at one end of the tribunal’s powers. Alternatively, a verdict that exonerates City – particularly with any favourable outcome on their separate challenge over the legality of associated party transaction rules – would shorten the odds on another decade of dominance.
Anyone hoping for a grand courtroom cliffhanger, with daily twists and turns for the football-loving public to follow, however, will be sorely disappointed. The secrecy surrounding the hearing extends even to confirmation from the Premier League of basic details like when it started, where it is being held and the precise number of charges (variously interpreted from the statement as between 115 and 130).
Telegraph Sport answers the key questions:
