60 to 70 points deducted: Manchester City condemned to relegation to Championship

Manchester City could lose between 60 and 70 points in the Premier League, a penalty of unprecedented scale that would condemn the club to relegation to the Championship, according to the Daily Mail. The verdict would come following the conviction handed down last September for 114 financial breaches.

The affair dates back to November 2018, when German newspaper Der Spiegel revealed alleged breaches by City in terms of financial fair play. Premier League investigations established that between 2009 and 2018, the Manchester club failed to properly declare sums paid to its players and staff members, thereby circumventing the profitability and sustainability rules imposed on English clubs.

The envisaged sanction would be severe enough that Erling Haaland and his teammates — currently leading the championship after seven wins in seven matches — could not mathematically remain in the top flight. City would therefore be relegated to the Championship at the end of the current season.

The punishment could even be spread over two seasons. According to the Daily Mail, a second significant points deduction would be considered next season in order to prevent a direct return to the Premier League, thus prolonging the club’s stay in the second division. The hypothesis of a demotion to League Two, the fourth tier of English football, has however been ruled out.