March 4 – Manchester City are under the spotlight off the field once again amid fresh allegations suggesting they bent the rules over Financial Fair Play following a new wave of leaked emails reported by German publication Der Spiegel.
The magazine has published further claims that include City owner Sheikh Mansour injecting funds directly into the club in order to boost sponsorship income.
UEFA rules strictly restrict the amount of money an owner can provide but, through his investment fund the Abu Dhabi United Group, Mansour is alleged to have exceeded the limit.
Two months ago, UEFA’s chief financial investigator Yves Leterme warned that the reigning Premier League champions could be kicked out Europe if alleged irregularities exposed in the Football Leaks scandal prove to be true.
Investigators are still sifting through all the material published by Der Spiegel and Leterme was quoted as saying that if the allegations are true, City could face “the heaviest punishment”.
In response to the latest claims, the Premier League champions issued the same statement they have given time after time on all of Der Spiegel’s claims of alleged “systematic” abuse of FFP since they first hit the headlines last year
“We will not be providing any comment on out-of-context materials purported to have been hacked or stolen from City Football Group and City personnel and associated people,” the club said. “The attempt to damage the club’s reputation is clear.”
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