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Manchester City vs Premier League trial date revealed ahead of possible verdict coinciding with Pep Guardiola exit

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An initially scheduled date has now been set for the trial between Manchester City and the Premier League, according to a new report.

Earlier this year, the Premier League charged eventual Treble winners Manchester City with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules following a four-year investigation into the operations at the Etihad Stadium.

The Premier League went on to refer officials at Manchester City to an independent commission over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, while City had also been accused of not co-operating since the investigation started in December 2018.

As for the subsequent reaction from Manchester City, a statement from the club revealed that they were not only “surprised” by the charges, but were also supported by a “body of irrefutable evidence”.

Now, the first significant development since February has emerged, with the two parties having reportedly agreed on a date for their trial which will not come until later on in the new calendar year.

That is according to the information of MailSport’s Mike Keegan, who states that Manchester City and the Premier League have now agreed on a date at which they will face off in front of an independent panel over the 115 charges issued to the reigning Champions earlier this year.

It is claimed that a date for the showdown – which is widely believed to be the biggest hearing in the history of the competition, and one of the biggest in the sport – has been initially scheduled for late autumn of 2024.

However, MailSport quotes those with knowledge of the situation, who believe that a conclusion on the situation may not follow until the end of the 2024/25 season, should the trial go ahead on time.

Mike Keegan is also able to reveal that the ‘highly confidential process’ involving the Premier League and Manchester City is currently at the stage where statements are being taken from witnesses – which is likely to remain the case until next spring.

In a further interesting detail to be aware of, some Manchester City fans will notice that the anticipated verdict date for the trial coincides with the expiry of Pep Guardiola’s current Etihad Stadium agreement.

Should the Catalan opt not to extend before that date, then his exit from City could either mark a disastrous moment for the Premier League champions or a monumental occasion in the history of the English top-flight as a governing body.

Pep Guardiola himself has recently insisted that the fate of Manchester City in relation to the 115 charges has now bearing on his future at the club, boldly stating during a press conference that he would remain in charge as Etihad boss even if they were relegated to League One.

“I will wait (for a verdict),”Guardiola stressed. “Wait and see it, and after the sentence has been done we will come here and explain it. But absolutely I will not consider my future [if] it depends being here or being in League One.

“Absolutely. There is more chance to stay if we are in League One than if we win the Champions League. I know when people are saying – ‘OK, City – why don’t they go to the (National League)?’ Wait. After (the decision is made) what’s going to happen is going to happen.

“What people accuse us of, we do not agree with what they say. We are going to defend [ourselves] and after the resolution is done I will be here, like a spokesman for my club.”

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