Didi Hamann wants a hard penalty for Man City

Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has called for the toughest possible sanction for Man City after the Premier League found the Skyblues guilty of serious breaches of financial regulations and of failing to cooperate with the authorities in this investigation.

Hamann’s proposed punishment

Hamann told RTL/Sky that “in the past Nottingham, Everton and most recently Leicester have been punished with point deductions”. He argued that “in the case of Man City intent must be assumed when money was paid by Abu Dhabi – the rules were broken”. The former professional insisted that the penalty should be as severe as possible.

Club’s response and appeal

The club has until Friday to lodge an appeal, a step that the board described as “a matter of course”. Ferran Soriano, the chief executive, dismissed the allegations as “a conspiracy theory of the Premier League”, adding that “Wir” – the German word for “we” – see themselves as victims rather than perpetrators. Manchester City’s legal team is expected to challenge the ruling vigorously.

Premier League clubs push for multi‑year sanctions on Man City

Hamann ruled out an immediate forced relegation, saying it would be “hard to implement during a season”. Instead, he suggested a deduction of “fifty or sixty points”, which would make staying in the league virtually impossible. He also advocated stripping the titles the club won in the disputed period.

Pep Guardiola, who spent ten years as the Skyblues’ manager, reiterated his belief in the club’s innocence. “I want every Manchester‑City fan around the world to know that I am there for you – more than ever. We will get through this together. I love you all,” he said.