A date has been set for an independent commission to hear Premier League financial charges against Manchester City, the league’s chief executive Richard Masters has told MPs.
Masters did not reveal the date but said the case was “progressing”, as he insisted that all top-flight clubs were being treated equally under the league’s rules.
Everton face the prospect of two points deductions for breaches of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) before any conclusion is reached in the Manchester City case, even though charges were laid in the City case in February last year.
Nottingham Forest also face a sanction after they were referred to an independent commission in relation to PSR on Monday along with Everton. A member of the Toffees’ fan advisory board, Julie Clarke, was sat directly behind Masters during the hearing of the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) committee on Tuesday morning wearing an Everton shirt.
Masters was asked by MPs whether he could understand fans’ frustrations on the differing timescales of these financial cases and said: “They are very different charges, that’s all I would say.
“If any club, whether the current champions or otherwise, had been found in breach of the spending rules for year 23, they would be in exactly the same position as Everton or Nottingham Forest, but the volume and character of the charges laid before Manchester City – which I obviously cannot talk about – are being heard in a completely different environment.
“There is a date set for that proceeding, unfortunately I can’t tell you when that is, but that is progressing.”
City were charged with more than 100 rule breaches last year following an investigation which the Premier League said began in December 2018.
Manchester City declined to comment following Masters’ remarks, but at the time the charges were laid the club said they welcomed 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”.
“As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all,” City said.
The Premier League declined to comment on whether the commission will consider it this year but it is understood that is the case. It is not known how many days the commission has set aside for the proceedings. The commission sets the timeline for the process in this case.
Everton are already appealing against a 10-point deduction imposed by an independent commission in November over an earlier PSR breach, and said on Monday the fact they now had to defend themselves against a new complaint while the appeal process was ongoing demonstrated a “clear deficiency” in the league’s rules.
Asked about those rules, Masters told the committee: “We take our rulebook very seriously. It’s a handshake between all 20 clubs. All clubs look each other in the eyes and say ‘we will comply with these rules’ and they expect the (Premier League) board – if clubs don’t comply with those rules – to take action.
“We have to balance that Everton are a very important member of the Premier League, an ever-present, and we also have to think about the other 19 clubs and their fan bases.
“I don’t think it’s messy. It’s a very solemn duty – nobody likes enforcing the financial rules. These rules were brought in in 2013-14 with a specific purpose of ensuring that unsustainable spending couldn’t go too far.”
Masters said new rules were under consideration to bring the Premier League into line with UEFA’s financial sustainability regulations. The European governing body is phasing in a system where clubs must not have squad costs higher than 70 per cent of revenue.
Masters said the existing PSR would be in place for at least this season and next, however.
He also said his organisation was “still investigating” Chelsea after the club’s new leadership self-reported information concerning the Blues’ financial conduct under former owner Roman Abramovich.
Masters was also asked when the league would ratify the takeover of Everton by American investment firm 777 Partners.
“As soon as we have completed the process and unfortunately some processes take a matter of weeks. Some, if we haven’t had satisfactory answers to the questions we have asked, take a lot longer,” he said.
Asked how long this one would take, Masters replied: “It’s already been running for a number of weeks. So it’s going to take longer. How much longer I don’t know.”
When asked if he meant days, weeks or months, Masters said: “Hopefully weeks.”
Lyon 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain: Mbappe fails to score but Ligue 1 champions clinch Coupe de France
Paris Saint-Germain beat Lyon 2-1 in the Coupe de France final courtesy of first-half strikes from Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz.
Making his final appearance for PSG, the club's all-time record goalscorer Kylian Mbappe failed to get on the scoresheet at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday.
Yet it mattered not as PSG sealed a domestic treble in Luis Enrique's first season in charge, winning the Coupe de France for a record-extending 15th time.
Dembele put PSG ahead after 23 minutes when Nuno Mendes' cross found him unmarked in the six-yard box to coolly head home.
Midfielder Ruiz doubled the advantage with a strike from a tight angle at the second attempt.
Lyon pulled one back 10 minutes into the second half thanks to Jake O'Brien's towering header off a corner, before PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a superb save minutes later.
PSG had to withstand late pressure, but ultimately got the job done as Mbappe signed off with another trophy.
Data Debrief: Mbappe moves on
Mbappe will bow out with 256 goals in 308 appearances for PSG across his seven seasons at the club since joining from Monaco in 2017.
He has won all there is to win domestically, though the Champions League has evaded him.
With Real Madrid seemingly his next destination, Mbappe will surely break that duck in the Spanish capital.
Milan 3-3 Salernitana: Rossoneri denied late on in Pioli's farewell
Milan ended their Serie A campaign with a disappointing 3-3 home draw against relegated Salernitana on Saturday in what was the last game at the club for coach Stefano Pioli and striker Olivier Giroud.
The Rossoneri looked set to cruise to victory when Davide Calabria put them 3-1 up in the 77th minute at San Siro.
Rafael Leao, who may well be on the move in the upcoming transfer window, had put Milan ahead after capitalising on a dreadful mistake from Salernitana goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo in the 22nd minute.
Giroud doubled the advantage five minutes later, volleying home from an Alessandro Florenzi corner to mark his farewell appearance in style before he joins MLS club Los Angeles FC.
Salernitana pulled a goal back through forward Simy in the second half before Calabria restored the hosts' two-goal lead, with Pioli seemingly sailing towards a victory in his last match.
Yet Junior Sambia and Simy levelled with two quick-fire goals in the dying moments to deny second-place Milan a victory to end the season.
Data Debrief: Giroud heads off into the sunset in style
Giroud finished the Serie A season with 23 goal involvements (15 goals and eight assists); only twice in his career has he managed a better tally in a single season in the big five European leagues: 24 in 2013-14 with Arsenal and 30 in 2011-12 with Montpellier.
Indeed, the 37-year-old is the oldest player among those with at least 23 goals involvement in the big five European leagues this season.
Christian Pulisic grabbed an assist, meanwhile, to become only the second Milan midfielder to be involved in 20+ goals (12 goals, eight assists) in a single Serie A season, after Kaka (20 in 2005-06, 26 in 2007-08, 25 in 2008-09) in the last 20 seasons.
Kaiserslautern 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen: Xhaka stunner seals DFB-Pokal triumph
Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past second-tier Kaiserslautern 1-0 on Saturday to win the DFB-Pokal and secure the club's first domestic double.
Leverkusen missed out on a treble after losing 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday, in what was astonishingly their first defeat of the season in all competitions, after a European record 51-game unbeaten run.
But at Berlin's Olympic stadium, which will host the Euro 2024 final in July, Xabi Alonso's side ensured they capped off a remarkable campaign with another piece of silverware thanks to Granit Xhaka's stunning 16th-minute strike.
The ball rolled out to the former Arsenal man around 25 yards out, and he planted an unstoppable first-time effort into the left-hand side of the net.
They controlled the pace even after they were reduced to 10 men following Odilon Kossounou's second booking a minute before half-time.
Kaiserslautern rarely threatened after the break, with Leverkusen limiting their opponents to just 0.2 expected goals.
And even though they could not add to their lead, Leverkusen were able to comfortably wrap up their second trophy of the best season in the club's history.
Data Debrief: Leverkusen join the club
Leverkusen are only the fifth different side to win the double in Germany since the Bundesliga was founded, after Bayern Munich (13 times), 1. Koln, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund.
Xhaka's strike was a worthy winner. He became the first Swiss player to score in a DFB-Pokal final.
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