Tony Pulis expressed his feeling of being cheated after learning Man City was found to have violated most of 115 financial charges. He believes the club's fraudulent actions not only led to Stoke City's defeat in the FA Cup final 15 years ago, but also enabled Man City to secure numerous titles and dominate English football for a decade. Despite this, Pulis doubts Man City will be forced to return any of their trophies.

"I do not expect Man City to call me, or the club, to return the 2011 FA Cup or the championship medals their players received," Pulis stated. "I also do not truly believe they will return any other cups. Instead, point deductions and substantial fines seem more likely."

Man City players and coaching staff celebrate the FA Cup after their 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, London, England on 16/5. *Reuters*

Man City defeated Stoke City one-nil in the 2011 FA Cup final, with Yaya Toure scoring the decisive goal. This victory marked the beginning of Man City's "golden era", during which they amassed 25 titles – five more than in their previous 131 years of existence. However, this period of success at the Etihad Stadium may soon end. On 25/9, the Athletic reported that an independent commission ruled Man City violated 114 of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League organizers. Potential penalties, yet to be announced, could include: point deductions, title stripping, substantial fines, or relegation.

The charges reportedly span 14 years and involve: inaccurate financial reporting for nine seasons (2009-2010 to 2017-2018); incomplete salary details for former manager Roberto Mancini (2009-2013); insufficient details of payments made to players (2010-2016); and a lack of cooperation with investigations (2018-2023).

During this period, Man City secured eight Premier League titles, one Champions League, four FA Cups, and seven League Cups.

The Daily Mail reported that the independent commission's ruling could also trigger lawsuits totaling up to 1.06 billion USD in compensation. In late 2024, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Man Utd announced they reserved the right to sue if Man City were found guilty.

The Etihad Stadium club plans to appeal the decision. Chairman Al Mubarak expressed confidence in clearing the club's name, while also suggesting the Premier League organizers' investigation has been unfair.

"Man City's belief and determination to prove its innocence remain as strong as ever," Al Mubarak declared. "I want to share many things to help you understand why we are so confident. But due to the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it, I cannot do that at this time. There are still many people who want to undermine the club's progress, but we will not give them that opportunity."

In its first 128 years, Man City won only two English league titles and one former Cup Winners' Cup. However, since the Abu Dhabi United group's investment in 2008, the club transformed from an "ugly duckling" into a "swan", becoming one of England's top teams and achieving significant recognition in Europe. In 2023, Man City claimed its first Champions League, making it the sixth English team to dominate the continent, following Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa.

Thanh Quy (according to Daily Mail, Athletic)