Manchester City denounce ‘unfair’ treatment in Premier League in latest twist in legal case

Premier League champions Manchester City claim they have been treated “unfairly” by the top flight in assessing their commercial revenues.

A 165-page legal document has been detailed for the first time by The Times newspaper, in which Manchester City claims they are victims of “discrimination”, that the changed rules have been approved by their rivals to “stifle” their success on the pitch and that they constitute “a tyranny of the majority”.

The newspaper also reports that in addition to challenging the Premier League rules, Manchester City are also seeking damages and are said to be supported by a number of clubs in the division who share their frustrations.

In June, it was reported that at least three clubs, including Chelsea, Aston Villa and Newcastle United, were sympathetic to City’s stance. The former is said to be the only club to have so far made a statement of support.

According to the Guardian’s Matt Hughes, City claim the Premier League treated them “unfairly” in assessing their commercial revenue by relying on analysis from a data company that also works for their top-flight rivals.

The report said the Premier League’s review of the fair market value of Manchester City’s deals was undertaken by Nielsen Sports, a global data and media evaluation company which has contracts with several top clubs.

City have reportedly raised the Premier League’s use of Nielsen Sports in their legal battle over related party transactions, which was heard behind closed doors last month. For those waiting for a decision, the report says a ruling is expected soon, but it is not yet clear when it will be made public.

Manchester City’s latest clash with the Premier League comes as the Etihad Stadium club simultaneously prepare to face the top flight in November after being charged with 115 breaches of Financial Fair Play rules.

The Premier League charged Manchester City for the first time following a four-year investigation in February 2023, referring the club to an independent commission over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018.

Having also accused City of failing to cooperate since the investigation began in December 2018, the Premier League champions of the last four seasons said they were not only “surprised” by the allegations but that they were also supported by an “irrefutable body of evidence”.