Manchester City fans, breathe easy. The European Commission has decided not to chase Manchester City down the regulatory tunnel after La Liga president Javier Tebas accused them (and PSG) of scoring financial goals with a little help from their friends in high places—namely, the governments of Abu Dhabi and Qatar. The case? Allegedly accepting state-backed goodies under non-market conditions and pulling in sponsorships so inflated they’d make a weather balloon jealous.
But the commission? Unmoved. Apparently, Tebas’s dossier had less weight than a match-day pie.
Manchester City in the clear—at least in Brussels
It turns out linking your financial deals with state actors isn’t enough to spark a formal investigation—who knew? Sources from Brussels whispered that La Liga’s evidence wouldn’t even make it past the group stage. The European Commission, which only takes on cases with major cross-sectoral implications, clearly decided this wasn’t worth missing their coffee break over. Manchester City, on their end, pointed to their accounting books, probably dusted with gold, and shrugged.
Manchester City fans protest tickets, not EU drama
Ironically, while all this unfolded in political chambers, Manchester City fans were busy hoisting signs complaining about ticket prices—because what’s more terrifying than state subsidies? £80 to watch a home game. In classic British fashion, they protested with class and sass, and the club responded by freezing ticket prices for next season. One battle down.
City 1, Tebas 0
This isn’t Tebas’s first tango with Manchester City. He once compared their finances to Enron—yes, that Enron. Severe? Maybe. Accurate? According to the EU, not quite. With no formal probe, this ends in a classic football finish: accusations, drama, but ultimately—no goal.
Final whistle?
City walk away from this one without a booking. As for Tebas, he might want to consider VAR before making his next move. Game over, no penalties, just another day at the Etihad circus.
For more football updates, make sure to follow us on:
