Manchester City charges: Maresca says Premier League club will win appeal

What the report says

Enzo Maresca has said he has full confidence Manchester City will overturn the Premier League’s finding that the club committed more than 100 breaches of financial rules. Speaking on Friday in his first news conference since the announcement, the City manager defended the club’s leadership and said he believes the appeal will succeed. Al Jazeera reported that Maresca, who joined City in June 2026 and previously worked under Pep Guardiola, rejected suggestions that the club’s recent trophy haul had been damaged by the ruling.

The independent commission said City used allegedly improper commercial arrangements to overstate revenue and lower costs by more than 900 million pounds between 2009 and 2018. City deny wrongdoing and have appealed. The report said the club could face a major points penalty if the verdict stands, with possible consequences including relegation or expulsion from the Premier League. That broader case is significant because it could reshape the competitive and financial standing of one of English football’s dominant clubs.

Maresca stressed that his trust was in the ownership and football leadership at the Etihad Stadium, and said the club’s past success should not be viewed differently. He also said any discussion of the case should wait until the appeal is decided. City, who have won five league matches this season, were preparing to play Liverpool on Sunday, with Guardiola expected to return to the Etihad for a later home match against Paris Saint-Germain.