LaLiga president Javier Tebas speaking at the Web Summit in Portugal in 2022.

Manchester City investigation taking too long, says LaLiga president Javier Tebas

March 2, 2023 Sports 2 Views

LaLiga president Javier Tebas says he is frustrated at the slow speed of the investigation into Manchester City for alleged breaches of financial rules.

City are accused of having provided inaccurate financial information, allegedly breaking more than 100 rules.

If found guilty, the champions could face a substantial fine or even relegation.

Tebas has long spoken out against City and Paris Saint-Germain, believing those clubs have constantly broken the rules.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit on Wednesday, he said: “In 2017 in a forum organised in Manchester, I already criticised PSG and City. [City CEO] Ferran Soriano asked me to go to the club’s facilities, he was angry with me. That was 2017 and now it is 2023 and nothing has moved on, but suddenly there is an inquiry.

“This case, which in my opinion has taken too long. We know there was an alleged breach of 100 articles, so any decisions will have to be adopted accordingly by the Premier League.”

In 2020, City were banned from the Champions League for two years, but that sanction was later overturned on appeal.

“City and PSG were sanctioned by UEFA without being able to play in European competitions and the CAS was the one that changed it,” he said. “Perhaps we have to review the role of the CAS in all this. There should really be an arbitration tribunal.”

Tebas also believes City’s spending has had an effect on the rest of the Premier League.

“They got money from fake sponsorships,” he said. “The rest of the clubs have had to spend more in order to compete.”