Gary Neville warns Manchester City could accept a 60‑point FFP hit to keep owners
Gary Neville told that Man City would ‘snap your hand off’ for a 60‑point Financial Fair Play deduction if it meant the Abu Dhabi United Group could stay in charge, underscoring the severity of the club’s ongoing FFP saga.
FFP verdict finds massive breaches
An independent commission concluded that Manchester City were guilty of the vast majority of charges in their Financial Fair Play case. The panel said the club used ‘sham’ contracts with commercial partners to save a staggering £900 million between 2009 and 2018. Those findings form the basis of the current sanctions debate.
City have appealed the verdict, describing it as ‘unsafe’ and merely ‘opinion’. Meanwhile, several Premier League rivals are pressing for any punishment to be applied this season, meaning the Cityzens could face sanctions before the appeal is resolved.
Possible sanctions loom over Cityzens
The club faces the risk of having its recent titles stripped. Additional penalties could include a transfer ban, a fine, a points deduction, expulsion from the Premier League, or the removal of the Abu Dhabi United Group as owners. Such measures would dramatically reshape the landscape of English football.
Premier League clubs push for multi‑year sanctions on Man City
In interview, Neville questioned whether the owners could satisfy the owners’ and directors’ test if the verdict stands. He said, “It’s hard to see how the Man City owners can comply with the owners’ and directors’ test in this country if the verdict remains.”
Neville warns of owners’ test and penalties
Neville added that stricter rules apply to clubs with “improper owners”, making it difficult for the Abu Dhabi United Group to retain status. He argued, “If I was Man City, I’d snap your hand off for a fine or points deduction, even if it was 60 points, because that would only damage you for a moment in time.” He also stressed that the primary focus should be the achievements during the period and the accountability of the owners and executives who oversaw it.
Speaking on The Overlap, Neville described the situation as “chilling”, noting that the Premier League’s reputation for integrity is now being dragged through the mud. He contrasted the league’s standards with scandals that have plagued other European competitions, including the Italian game’s fallout from Calciopoli.
A pundit has even suggested a televised showdown between Manchester City and the Premier League could be arranged to address “too many coincidences”, highlighting the growing pressure on the club and the league to resolve the controversy.