Agbonlahor urges ‘big’ Man City punishment amid new ‘relegation’ verdict
Gabby Agbonlahor has insisted Man City cannot be allowed to “get away” with a big-money fine if they are found guilty of various alleged instances of financial impropriety.
The former Aston Villa striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted “the only way to hurt” the Premier League champions would be to deduct points – citing Juventus’ 2006 relegation and their recent points deduction.
The Premier League announced on Monday (5 February) that they have referred over 115 charges against Man City relating to alleged breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018 to an independent commission.
Pep Guardiola’s side responded to state that there is “irrefutable evidence” in support of their position and that they “look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
UEFA has levelled similar charges at City before – but eventually had their two-year Champions League ban overturned and their fine reduced from €30m to €10m.
The Premier League has the power to relegate clubs, retroactively strip them of titles, and issue an unlimited cash penalty – if they are found guilty.
Agbonlahor told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “This is a really important moment for the Premier League.
“If City are guilty and they’re not dealt with properly, then other teams will see that as a sign that they can do exactly the same.
“They will know that they can get away with a fine.
“There’s talk of a points deduction, but we’re already in February. It might not happen until the summer.
“These things don’t happen overnight.
“You can’t really use fines as a punishment. That doesn’t hurt them – these clubs can pay that easily.
“The only way you can hurt them is by deducting points. We’ve seen Juventus deducted points, and they were relegated from Serie A 20 years go as well.
“There needs to be big punishments if they’re found guilty. You can’t send the message out to other clubs that this kind of thing is acceptable.”
In other news, pundit claims Man City are facing star exodus after source’s Premier League talks reveal.