Manchester City has won their war with the Premier League about “illegal” financial rules.
An independent tribunal today ruled in favor of the four-in-a-Row champions-erop insisting that the regulations are “void and unable to”.
The judgment of the Bombshell could now activate a series of multi-million pound compensation claims from clubs and the competition diving into crisis.
And it means that City has got a blow in their constant legal battle with the Prem and their chief Richard Masters, despite the fact that the statement is separated from the charges of 130 financial domination in the club.
A tribunal of 18 pages has the sponsor tiles of the Prem on associated party transactions that from December 2021 to November 2024 their completely illegal.
Today's historic ruling of a panel of three eminent former judges means that the competition is now confronted with the cough of £ 20 million to pay their legal accounts – and the city.
The APT rules were implemented after the takeover of Newcastle and treated sponsorship agreements with companies related to the owners of a club.
But the verdict opens the door to the tone, Abu Dhabi-ownership and other clubs that make huge compensation claims.
City – whose legal team was led by Lord Pannick – raised the premium after proposed deals with Etihad Airways and first Abu Dhabi Bank were blocked in 2023.
They also accused Prem Chiefs of trying to mislead clubs prior to the November vote on ATP rule changes, which were adopted after a majority of 16-4 votes.
Masters wrote today to all 20 clubs and admitted that the “earlier rules are void and not -unable to do so”, but stated that “new rules were voted in operation” and that clubs should comply with them.
The contemporary panel, including a former master of the Rolls Lord Dyson, assessed that the ATP rules could not be changed by a series of “discrete” tweaks.
But a leading statement was: “This decision has no influence on the valid effect of the new rules.
“The new APT rules are fully in force and clubs remain needed to meet all aspects of the system.”
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