Manchester City's 2023 Champions League win questioned, as charges crisis deepened

Manchester City FC lifts the trophy as the teammates celebrate — Manchester City became champions of Europe in 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester City's 2023 Champions League victory has been called into question, following the club being charged by the Premier League for financial rule breaches.

This week, Manchester City were found guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, with a Premier League statement confirming that they had “arranged ‘sham’ contracts” and “concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators”.

The club are facing heavy sanctions in English football – but now, their greatest night on the continent has also been questioned.

Manchester City “played with players with whom you broke the rules”

Manchester City players celebrate their treble triumph with fans on a bus parade through the city in June 2023. — Manchester City lifted a Treble in 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)

In 2023, City became just the second club in English football to complete a Treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, matching city rivals Manchester United in 1999.

The Sky Blues became just the second club to win their first Champions League in the 21st Century – following Chelsea and preceding Paris Saint-Germain – perhaps highlighting just how difficult it has been for newly rich clubs to disrupt the established order of European football.

In a radio interview, relayed by FCInter1908 and Sport Witness, Italian journalist Sandro Sabatini has suggested that Inter Milan have also been wronged by City, following their 1-0 loss in Istanbul in 2023's showpiece.

“We are heading towards a verdict, the one on City, which if it becomes retroactive, and if the principle applies that an offence was committed by breaking a rule, then clearly it’s something enormous,” he said.

“If you commit an offence by buying a player in 2018 and that player also plays in 2023, when there’s the final against Inter, hold on.

“2023 isn’t part of the investigation, but you played with players with whom you broke the rules. The Manchester City situation is enormous.”

UEFA issued a two-year European ban to City in February 2020, after ruling City had committed "serious breaches" of Financial Fair Play regulations between 2012 and 2016.

After the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC/Real Madrid on June 10, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. — Manchester City's Champions League has an asterisk, according to one Italian journalist (Image credit: Getty Images)

This was later overturned when City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

City head to Liverpool when Premier League action resumes.

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Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.