115 FC: Pep's Reputation on the Line as Charges Loom

The dust has finally settled on the 25/26 season. Some Arsenal fans are likely still lingering around The Emirates and somewhere in Manchester, a City fan lights a Guardiola-shaped candle in his garden, tears dropping onto an increasingly parched lawn.

A new era? Why not. Arteta, the protege, has finally pipped Pep to the post, and, while talk of him retiring the all-conquering Catalan is ridiculous, it's hard not to see the green shoots of a much-needed shakeup.

However, one question around Man City's glittering period of domestic dominance still remains. 115 charges; a dark cloud that has been hanging over the collective heads of everyone who calls the Etihad home for over three years. And hovering over all of it, whether he likes it or not, is the name Pep Guardiola.

So first of all, what are these charges?

It's no secret that Man City have spent widely to become a Premier League giant. Generally speaking, however, this isn't an issue. It's the Prem; teams can spend £90m on a whim. However, there are rules – namely, financial fair play (FFP).

This set of regulations tries to keep European leagues competitive by stopping teams from overspending. There are multiple facets to this (and we won't be getting into them now), but essentially, clubs are only allowed to spend as much as they earn through core footballing activities.

Manchester City has supposedly fallen foul of FFP multiple times from 2009 to 2018, with charges ranging from disguising owner investment as sponsorship revenue to failing to cooperate with investigations and withholding information. The sheer complexity of the case (involving over 500,000 pieces of evidence) has stretched the investigation to an almost absurd length. For reference, the final hearing concluded in December 2024.

Since the whistle blew on 25/26, multiple sources have said the verdict is expected before the World Cup kicks off. Importantly, City's guilt hasn't already been determined – everything is on the line, making the suspense comparable to any title charge.

If City are found guilty, potential punishments range from points deductions and fines to the far less likely scenarios of expulsion from the Premier League and bans from European competitions. However, were any punishment rendered, City's lawyers would launch an immediate appeal, so we shouldn't expect anything definitive anytime soon.

For many (mainly City fans), a guilty verdict will do little to tarnish the trophy cabinet of the club and of Pep. Even if those seasons are blemished with an asterisk, the memories remain. Cold, hard facts won't remove 'Aguuuueroooooo' from the minds of the Citizens.

Everyone else who has suffered at City's hands feels rather differently. What a shock.

Bigger than the ruling's immediate effects will be the precedent it sets. For the future of the English game, this verdict matters as much as anything that has happened on the pitch. An admission of guilt and a slap on the wrist? FFP is toothless and money talks. A five-million-point deduction, with City condemned to play home games at Old Trafford to the delight of a jeering United crowd? Perhaps clubs will think twice before overspending.

Regardless of what happens, Pep's departure may somewhat shield him from the blowback, and, in all fairness, there is little evidence he was personally culpable in any way. Still, it all seems very fitting: a hero leaving against the backdrop of serious allegations as Arsenal, a fresh face, tastes champagne.

Well-timed, Pep.