Sometimes it feels like football clubs put more energy into courtroom battles than they do their on-pitch endeavours. Legal proceedings, as tedious as it can be, are unfortunately a major part of the sport in the 2020s. 

Sport has always had scandals. Disputes between teams or between players and their clubs are inevitable. Financial regulations introduced over the last decade or so have opened up a whole catalogue of conflicts between clubs and the governing bodies. 

Football fans have become unwillingly familiar with legalese. Television coverage has been dedicated to watching important people stroll in and out of courtrooms.

It’s a part of the game that cannot be escaped, even if the vast majority of fans would rather focus on the matches themselves. 

Here are three instances of clubs finding themselves in hot water… 

Manchester City

Manchester City’s finances have been under the proverbial microscope since their current owners took charge.

Perennial favourites in Premier League odds throughout the Pep Guardiola era, City have consistently blown others out the water financially, helping to construct an unmatched squad of elite talent. 

This isn’t City’s first scare. They were handed a Champions League ban and a significant fine by UEFA several years ago. Upon appeal, the ban was overturned and the fine was more than halved.

UEFA were not happy with the verdict.

Their statement said, “UEFA notes that the Cas panel found that there was insufficient conclusive evidence to uphold all of the CFCB’s conclusions in this specific case and that many of the alleged breaches were time-barred due to the five year time period foreseen in the UEFA regulations.

“Over the last few years, financial fair play has played a significant role in protecting clubs and helping them become financially sustainable and Uefa and ECA [the European Club Association] remain committed to its principles.”

In 2023, City were charged with 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, beginning another legal battle.

The charges cover breaking financial fair play regulations between 2009 and 2018.

The Premier League also charged City with failing to assist the investigation in the following years. 

These financial rules are intended to make sure clubs roughly spend what they generate. City are charged with providing inaccurate financial information or not providing information by the correct deadlines.

The exact charges are as follows, according to Sky Sports:

• 54 charges for failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information

• 14 charges for failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation 

• 5 charges for failure to comply with UEFA's regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations

• 7 charges for Breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability regulations

• 34 charges for failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations

Speculation over the penalties City will face has been rife. Expulsion from the Premier League is a remote possibility which has grabbed headlines.

City could face points deductions or a transfer ban. A final verdict is expected before the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

Everton & Nottingham Forest

Everton and Nottingham Forest suffered six and four-point deductions respectively during the 2023-24.

News of penalties immediately shortened their respective Premier League relegation odds, though both teams ultimately avoided the drop. 

Found to have breached the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, it was controversial when Forest had a smaller deduction than their relegation rivals.

Everton’s breach was £19.5 million compared to Forest’s £34.5 million, but there was no solid formula to calculate the deductions.

Everton were initially docked 10 points, which was reduced by four on appeal. Both teams were considered ‘significant’, putting them in the same category when it came to penalties. 

An independent commission argued Everton breached the regulations in consecutive seasons, while it was a one-time offence from Forest. 

Significantly, the commission reported, “there was no additional consideration around incorrect information being provided to the Premier League, as Everton had”.

Forest were a whisker from avoiding a points deduction. The eventual sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham would have balanced the books sufficiently, but the transfer didn’t go through until after the 30th June accounting date.

Everton were deducted an extra two points in April 2024, which was met with widespread criticism at a perceived lack of consistency.

In August 2024, it was reported that the Toffees had been found to have made further breaches of regulations and could face another points deduction in 2024-25. 

Everton manager Sean Dyche was in charge of the club throughout a tumultuous 2023-24 campaign. 

After the penalty rose from six to eight points, Dyche said, “A reaction to the news is important, a positive reaction. The last time we got a knock everyone pulled together and now there is another one.

“The badge is more important than anything – I still feel that way – and we need the players, the staff and the fans pulling together to make sure we look after ourselves and the club. We certainly did that last time.”

Juventus

Juventus were initially docked 15 points in January 2023 for ‘financial irregularities’ and ‘false accounting’.

Sixty-two transfers were investigated, 42 of which involved Juventus. The club also claimed to have saved £78 million through wage reductions in 2020. 

During the appeal process, Juventus were re-awarded those 15 points in the second half of the 2022-23 Serie A season only for a 10-point penalty to be confirmed in late May. 

Andrea Agnelli, Pavel Nedved, and Fabio Paratici received suspensions from football. 

The toing and froing with the deductions threw the Serie A table into turmoil. Then-Roma manager Jose Mourinho was highly critical of the uncertainty – the 10-point penalty in May dropped Juventus from second to seventh, opening up the top four race. 

Mourinho said, “It’s a joke to know this with two games remaining. For us and everyone, even for Juventus.

“Our approach would have been different if we had known before the games with Monza and Bologna. I am sorry for (Massimiliano) Allegri and his players, but at the league level, I have to say that it changes things a little.”

After the final verdict, Allegri was equally frustrated.

“The boys did everything they could during the season, what we saw tonight was a mental breakdown that is also understandable: we found ourselves having to play catch-up for the umpteenth time, having learned this just a few minutes before the match.

“This story continues on, it’s a lack of respect for working people. A decision must be made, and that’s it.”

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Adobe*