Ugly Football: Der Spiegel vs Manchester City
City Hit with New Allegations by the German Newspaper
https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/2019/3/5/18250855/epl-2018-19-season-der-spigel-vs-manchester-city
Following Manchester City’s remarkable 2017/18 season, the Blues looked to strengthen their squad for the upcoming 2018/19 season. Like any transfer window for any club, several players departed the Manchester camp. The Mancunian side also acquired Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City, and following what was a relatively quiet window, the Blues prepared for their title defence.
It has not come ease as the Blues unexpectedly lost three matches in December. Nonetheless, they now find themselves at the top of the English Premier League with nine matches left in the 2018/19 season. Having already won the EFL Cup Final, City are also in contention for the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup. City’s football schedule is coming thick and fast, but after their brief dip in form in December, the Blues have bounced back remarkably. Whilst the title has yet to be decided, the fate of retaining the title rests in City’s hands.
It has not come without criticism, however. In November 2018, the German newspaper Der Spiegel published a four-part series on Manchester City, citing the club had violated a series of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. The source, dubbed as “Football Leaks,” provided a series of emails and documents indicating that City personnel were willing to break various rules in order to acquire some of the best talent in world football.
The detailed accounts outline the amount of money the Blues spent over the past several transfer windows, and numerous backroom deals that were completed in order to acquire some of their talent, including current manager Pep Guardiola.
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