Manchester City has won the first “battle”… but not the “war” on the Premier League. The “trial of the century” – the “sky blues” are accused of having violated the English League’s financial “fair play” on 115 occasions – continues. However, they can boast of having won another parallel case.
“City obtains a historic ruling against the Premier [sobre las normas comerciales que rigen a los clubes]”, suggests “Sky Sports”, which adds: “The League had blocked two City sponsorship deals in a move that an independent panel deemed illegal.” Curiously, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, West Ham United, Brentford, Bournemouth, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers supported the Premier’s position.
In this case, which has a 175-page final award, it was City itself that had filed an appeal against 25 Premier regulations regarding Transactions between Associated Parties. The “sky blues” understood that they did not respect competition law, as happens in commercial agreements between clubs and related parties. To be clearer, the one between City itself, Etihad and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
“A possible change in the law could lead City to reach more lucrative agreements and claim damages from the Premier League,” notes “The Times.” “Other clubs could also now request damages if they consider that they have been affected,” he says.
“The rules – introduced after Saudi Arabia took control of Newcastle – were designed to keep the Premier League competitive by preventing clubs from inflating commercial deals with companies linked to their owners. Transactions are independently assessed to ensure that they have a “fair market value.”
