Sports lawyer Nick de Marco KC has outlined his stance that Manchester City should not be relegated even if they are found guilty of significant financial breaches.
The 57-year-old represented former City player Benjamin Mendy in a triumphant £11million case for unpaid wages against the club. It came to light during a two-day employment tribunal that City halted his £500,000-a-month earnings following charges of sexual offences in August 2021, from which he was later exonerated.
De Marco, of Blackstone Chambers, meanwhile maintains that relegation would be an incorrect sanction for Man City, should they be found guilty of severe finance breaches. City, Newcastle United and the rest of the Premier League are not due to learn the verdict until early 2025.
Speaking to The Times in September, De Marco stated: “In my view, things as important as promotion and relegation should be determined on the pitch. It spoils the game for it to be determined by people like me; lawyers, accountants and ex-lawyers, who are arbitrators, hearing legal arguments behind closed doors.
“I’m going to make my money out of it, that’s my business. But I don’t necessarily think it’s right.
De Marco also disagrees with the notion of imposing a points deduction – previously experienced by clubs such as Everton and Nottingham Forest. He contended: “As a football fan, I really do think points deductions should be the very last thing people look at for breaches.
“Yet it’s becoming a routine starting point and I do think that spoils a lot of the fun and entertainment of the game. I can see the argument for points deductions, because they can be the best way to redress a sporting advantage given the obvious flaws with financial penalties.
“If you are a very wealthy owner – intent on just spending anything in breach of the rules – you’re not going to worry too much about financial penalty, but I still think point deductions should be a last resort.”
The Premier League brought forward over 100 allegations of financial misconduct against Man City in February 2023, although the private hearing did not commence until September this year. Details from the hearing remain undisclosed given it involves private shareholders.
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