Manchester City have been handed a fine exceeding £2 million for violating Premier League rules 22 times regarding kick-off and restart obligations.
Pep Guardiola and his team have made history by winning the Premier League four times in a row, a feat never achieved before.
As they aim to secure a fifth consecutive title next season, they must also navigate legal challenges arising from their previous infractions.
Why Manchester City were fined?
Manchester City have been fined £2m ($2.6m) for repeatedly delaying kick-off in matches, with the club being penalized for this offense on 22 separate occasions over the past two seasons.
In the 2022-23 season, they were sanctioned eight times, and in the 2023-24 campaign, they were penalized 14 times.
A notable incident occurred in the final game of last season, where Manchester City delayed the start of the second half of their crucial match against West Ham United by two minutes and 46 seconds.
This was the longest delay by the team under manager Pep Guardiola. In contrast, their shortest delay was one minute and 17 seconds in matches against Brighton in May 2023 and Newcastle in August 2023.
Premier League rules relating to kickoff and re-start
A statement from the Premier League read: “Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs.
“It also ensures the broadcast of all 380 League matches around the world is kept to schedule.”
“As required by the Premier League Rules, the sanction agreement has been ratified by three members of the Independent Judicial Panel.”
According to the Daily Mail, fines for the delays ranged from £10,000 to £200,000, with Manchester City’s first offense attracting the lowest fine and the highest fine imposed after the West Ham game.
Meanwhile, the Sky Blue have apologized for the delays and have also agreed to pay the sanctions to the Premier League.
The club made the following statement: “The club has apologized and reminded its players and management teams of their responsibilities.”
Other Premier League teams have also been penalized for breaking this obscure rule; in August 2023, Crystal Palace were fined £220,000 (£70,000 suspended) for delayed kick-offs in two games during the 2022-23 season.
More legal battles for Manchester City
Manchester City are currently facing a total of 115 charges from the Premier League relating to numerous rulings including financial stipulations, dating back to the 2009/2010 season through the 2017/18 campaign
Despite the allegations, the Premier League champions have strongly denied any misconduct.
A hearing with an independent panel is scheduled for November, 18 months after the initial charges were announced. If found guilty, Manchester City could potentially face relegation.
What’s next for City?
The Premier League Champions are currently getting ready for the upcoming season in the United States, having recently played competitive friendlies against Celtic, AC Milan, and Barcelona without a single win.
Their next friendly match will be against Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea in Ohio on August 3.
