Manchester City and Chelsea: which team has the most possible illegal cases under investigation?

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who has been the naughtiest Football club of them all... when it comes to breaches of Financial Fair Play rules? The song sounded better in my head, but it remains true that both Manchester City and Chelsea have broken a plethora of financial regulations that everyone else has to live by.

We take a look at who has the highest number of cases under investigation by the independent panel, but explain them all? That’s coming out in hardback format.

What have Manchester City been accused of?

The treble holders are under investigation for a whopping 115 financial rule breaches from 2009 to 2018. Pep Guardiola’s side have been accused of misleading regulators about revenue from both sponsorship income and operating costs, as well as payments made to club figures such as ex-manager, Roberto Mancini.

Manchester City have denied all wrongdoing and their statement conveyed their surprise while also stating that “the club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position”.

Full screen

What have Chelsea been accused of?

Chelsea, meanwhile, have been accused of breaching financial rules while ex-owner Roman Abramovich, was in charge. The Russian Oligarch was forced to sell the club after UK sanctions were put in place following the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, but he was chairman from the year 2003 after buying it for £140m. There are numerous breaches of rules but no specific number, such as the clear 115 that Manchester City have become known for, has been given out.

The Guardian reported that “leaked files revealed a string of secret payments that may have breached strict Football rules”, including Financial Fair Play, and, if found guilty, Chelsea could face a heavy punishment. The report from The Guardian reveals doubts about whether the money, “worth tens of millions of pounds over a decade”, was declared to the Premier League, saying “the transactions in question appear to have been for Chelsea’s benefit, raising questions about whether they were declared in accounts submitted to Football’s governing bodies.”

What punishment could the two clubs get?

Everything from points deductions to relegations, replaying matches and having titles stripped have been floated around as possible punishments for both sides who have a combined total of 10 Premier League titles, 7 FA Cups, 7 League Cups and 3 Champions Leagues between them since 2009.

What punishment did Everton get? Will City and Chelsea get the same?

In a word: unlikely. The two clubs in question have cases that are quite dissimilar to that of Everton’s, which was a straightforward breach of Financial Fair Play and, importantly, something they admitted. This is precisely the reason why many believe the punishments, when they eventually come, will be a few sizes bigger than the already jaw-dropping 10-point deduction The Toffees have suffered this season.