Punish Man City this season, say other club chiefs

Manchester City's punishment for breaching Premier League rules should be handed down before the end of this season, senior football figures have told BBC Sport.

The Premier League said on Tuesday that City had been found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of its financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

They included artificially inflating revenue by more than £900m through "sham" sponsorship deals.

City have repeatedly denied guilt and signalled an intent to lodge an appeal by the end of this week.

There have been fears that the process, which has taken three years since City were charged, could be drawn out for much longer.

However, senior figures within football have told BBC Sport they see no reason why the case cannot be concluded by the end of this season.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one club official said: "It benefits everyone for this to be resolved as quickly as possible."

When asked if they believed it would be, they said: "Instinctively yes, but it has to be done right.

"We can all see what the risks are if it's not. But those risks have been there throughout the process, as they've won the league multiple times during it."

Another source said the process "should" be resolved by the end of the season, and they hoped any appeal would be "compressed".

The final decision rests in the hands of the independent commission, with the Premier League board - and City - able to suggest a suitable punishment before the panel makes its decision.

There is increasingly a desire to have the case resolved by the end of the season amid fears that allowing City to get to the end of the campaign without punishment could lead to uncertainty and farce, particularly if they were to win the title.

One section of the Premier League regulations says an appeal should conclude no more than 12 weeks after it is filed, and a decision should be made within 30 days of its end.

Procedures can be hurried to meet certain deadlines, like the end of a league season.

However, Ferran Soriano, the club's chief executive, has suggested the case will run for a long time.

Manchester City cannot make a further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), but could potentially claim the process was not impartial at the High Court.

The Premier League's statement, formally announcing the guilty verdicts read on Monday, said it wants the process to be "concluded as soon as possible".

Meanwhile, City club sponsor Etihad Airways said it is considering legal action against the Premier League.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates-based airline said it "categorically rejects any finding, conclusion or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements".

It added: "The Premier League's public communication of the commission's findings, following a period of selective leaks and reporting, has further created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the redacted published findings."

Etihad, City's main sponsor since 2009, also said it was given no opportunity to engage in a process that now reflects "adversely on the airline".

The statement added: "Etihad is deeply concerned by the way this matter has been communicated publicly.

"The lack of clarity and transparency, together with the selective disclosure of information, has created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the published decision.

"The Premier League must take responsibility for the consequences of the way in which these findings have been presented.

"Etihad will seek the relevant legal counsel on the options and recourse available to protect its interests."

The Premier League declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.