charges

BREAKINGBREAKING,

Comey, who was fired during Trump’s first term, has been accused of unlawfully divulging national security information

James Comey, the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is facing a third set of criminal charges under the administration of United States President Donald Trump.

On Monday, sealed documents came to light showing that the Trump administration accused Comey of two counts related to the unlawful dissemination of “information related to national defence”.

Comey, a high-profile Trump critic, has not been indicted in the case. He has denied any wrongdoing.

But it is the third time the Trump administration has sought to level a criminal case against the former FBI director since the president returned to office in January 2025.

In a video on the online platform Substack, Comey once again denounced the Trump administration’s attempts to prosecute him as a campaign of political retribution.

“Well, now they’re back again. it would almost be funny if it weren’t such an appalling abuse of the Department of Justice, one that we cannot become numb to,” Comey said.

“Nothing’s changed with me. I’m still innocent, and I’m still not afraid of these people, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary.”

He also noted that Trump is only midway through his second term, and he hinted that he expects more criminal charges to come.

“The next couple years are going to be hard for all of us,” Comey added. “It’s really important that we stand straight and keep the faith in America.”

More details to come.

MIAMI — Former Cuban President Raúl Castro is facing more charges in Florida related to the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles after the U.S. government indicted the former leader earlier this year.

Florida Atty. Gen. James Uthmeier on Monday accused Castro, 95, of directing spies to infiltrate the exile group Brothers to the Rescue and ordering the attack on their planes. The state charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder is based largely on a federal indictment announced in May that included charges of murder and destruction of an airplane.

It remains unclear whether Castro will ever step foot in a U.S. courtroom. Uthmeier said the arrest warrant will restrict Castro’s ability leave the island nation and prevent him from traveling to any place with an extradition agreement with the U.S.

“I’m not ignorant of the fact that Raúl Castro is an older man who’s probably not looking to march himself into Miami,” Uthmeier said. “I think others would get him before the court of law would, but at the end of the day, we stand ready to prosecute the case.”

According to the state complaint, Castro was the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and First Vice President of Cuba when he gave the final authorization to shoot down the planes. Cuban Directorate of Intelligence agents operating as part of the Wasp Network in the Miami area and the Florida Keys infiltrated Brothers to the Rescue and reported flight plans, investigator said.

On Feb. 24, 1996, three unarmed Cessna aircraft departed Opa-Locka Airport in Miami-Dade County. Well outside Cuba’s territorial waters, Cuban MiGs destroyed two of the civilian planes with air-to-air missiles, killing the four occupants, the complaint said. Both aircraft were traveling away from Cuba and received no warning despite contact with Havana air traffic control, U.S. officials said.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel called the federal indictment earlier this year a political stunt that sought only to “justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.” He accused the U.S. of lying and manipulating events surrounding the shootdown.

“Our historic federal indictment laid the groundwork, and James and his team have now taken the important step of bringing charges under Florida law,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones said at a news conference.

Castro took over as president from his ailing older brother Fidel Castro in 2006 before handing power to a trusted loyalist, Díaz-Canel, in 2018.

While he retired in 2021 as head of the Cuban Communist Party, he is widely believed to wield power behind the scenes, underscored by the prominence of his grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro.

Meanwhile, President Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba ever since U.S. forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Cuban government’s longtime patron.

After ousting the Venezuelan leader earlier this year, the White House ordered a blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba, leading to severe blackouts, food shortages and an economic collapse across the island.

Fischer writes for the Associated Press.

A New Mexico judge on Friday ruled in favor of Emmy winner Timothy Busfield, tossing out multiple child sex abuse charges against the actor.

During a hearing, Judge Joseph A. Montano granted Busfield’s motion to dismiss his indictment, citing prosecutorial misconduct and errors that undermined the grand jury process. According to the order, “the prosecuting attorney failed to act in a fair and impartial manner” and proceedings thus far “were conducted in a manner that violated grand jury statutes designed to protect the structural integrity of our grand jury system.”

State prosecutors had indicted Busfield in February and charged him with four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child. The since-dismissed charges stemmed from his alleged behavior with two actors, who are brothers, on the set of the Fox crime drama “The Cleaning Lady.” The actor, known for “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

While a legal representative for Busfield did not immediately respond Friday to The Times’ request for comment, a spokesperson for the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office said prosecutors are “evaluating our options to determine how we will proceed.”

A New Mexico judge issued a warrant for Busfield’s arrest in January, citing two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and a single count of child abuse. Busfield was accused of inappropriately touching the child actors during his time as an actor, director and producer on “The Cleaning Lady,” according to an affidavit filed by New Mexico officials.

One child actor alleged Busfield first touched his “private areas” multiple times on set when he was 7 years old, according to the complaint. He said that Busfield touched him inappropriately again several times when he was 8. The affidavit also detailed a police interview with Busfield in which he suggested that the boys’ mother might have sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her kids back for the final season.”

Busfield filed his motion to quash the indictment in June, alleging the court refused to provide members of the grand jury with additional information and that prosecutors refused to allow jury members to hear from other witnesses, among other claims, according to court documents.

“The State treated the grand jury not as an independent body, but as the arm of the prosecution our courts have forbidden,” the motion says. “The resulting indictment must be dismissed.” Prosecutors rebutted Busfield’s allegations in a response to the dismissal and asked the court to deny his motion.

Before Friday’s order, a jury trial was scheduled to begin May 10, 2027.

Mérida, October 16, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have rejected a new indictment amid an ongoing prosecution by the US government.

I reject this document in its entirety,” Maduro told New York Judge Alvin Hellerstein in a hearing on Thursday. Similarly, Cilia Flores maintained her “absolute innocence” when asked to respond to the new charges, declaring: “I am completely innocent. I am not guilty.”

The judge entered formal not-guilty pleas on behalf of both defendants for all counts.

Maduro and Flores have been detained in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center since being kidnapped by US special forces on January 3. 

In the Manhattan federal court, US Attorney Jamie McDonald presented the superseding indictment that introduces a “conspiracy to commit torture” charge alongside the previous charges of “narco-terrorism” and drug trafficking conspiracy, as well as weapons possession.

The accusation claims Maduro personally oversaw purported torture of prisoners and held authority over whether detainees were released or prosecuted.

“Maduro, Flores, and other high-ranking members of their inner circle used a violent system of torture and repression to maintain their power,” McDonald stated to reporters outside the courthouse.

According to the legal filing, the prosecution alleges that Maduro and Flores oversaw a violent state “apparatus of repression” spanning from the former’s election in 2013.

The document claims methods like electric shocks, asphyxiation, and simulated drowning, among others, were allegedly deployed against political dissidents, state officials suspected of disloyalty, and US citizens detained inside Venezuela.

Defense attorneys have repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of the entire prosecution, framing it as an unprecedented overreach of U.S. extraterritorial jurisdiction. Maduro and Flores have consistently maintained that they are political prisoners and that their capture constituted a flagrant violation of Venezuelan sovereignty.

Legal counsel has filed pre-trial motions requesting the dismissal of the charges on grounds that Maduro and Flores, as a sitting president and legislator, respectively, possess sovereign immunity from foreign criminal prosecution.

Hellerstein recently rejected a request from Flores’ defense team that she be moved to house arrest due to severe health concerns, arguing that the first lady poses a “substantial flight risk.”

The updated indictment forced the judge to adjust the calendar of proceedings. The hearing on sovereign immunity arguments has been moved to January. The trial was pushed back two weeks and is now slated to commence on June 14, 2027, with a final pretrial conference scheduled for June 8. 

In Venezuela, National Assembly Deputy Iris Varela blasted the new charges, arguing that Maduro and Flores remain victims of a forced kidnapping orchestrated by Washington.

“I wish to publicly express, once again, my absolute and total rejection of the despicable act that the U.S. government is brazenly carrying out against our president and our congresswoman,” Varela wrote on her X account.

She further described the latest charges as “a miserable ploy [and] a grotesque maneuver” and went on to label US President Donald Trump as a “pedophile pig.”

In contrast to Varela, the Venezuelan government has made no official statement regarding the latest developments in the legal case against Maduro and Flores.

Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

Speaking on Match of the Day, Toby Alderweireld and Wayne Rooney discuss why Manchester City’s 3-0 victory against Liverpool leaves the Premier League in limbo as the club awaits a potential punishment, which could include a points deduction, after they were found guilty of financial breaches.

MATCH REPORT: Man City’s statement win has feeling of irrelevance with season in limbo

Available to UK users only.

Mikel Arteta says his conscience is clear over Manchester City’s Premier League rule breaches during a period when he was assistant manager at the club.

The Arsenal boss worked under Pep Guardiola between 2016 and 2019, which overlapped with the nine seasons during which City have been found to have broken rules and disguised secret funding of more than £830m.

In his first news conference since the ruling – which the club has appealed – Arteta attempted to bat away questions, saying he wanted to “respect” the ongoing process.

However, towards the end of more than half an hour of questioning, he was asked: “You were at City for three and a half years, is your conscience clear? You had a senior position there, is your conscience clear?”

Arteta answered: “Yes”.

His answer was one word, but it was arguably the most revealing part of the whole interaction.

It was the only occasion where the Spaniard did not in some way revert to his messaging about not giving opinions on the case until such a time as there is a resolution.

Arteta was at no point combative, but it was clear he arrived at Arsenal‘s training ground with a response he was determined to stick to.

Asked if he had spoken to Guardiola, he added: “I prefer not to answer those questions.”

Arteta was asked for his reaction to the damning report from the independent commission, which found City had arranged “sham contracts” with a number of commercial partners to disguise earnings.

He said: “I fully understand the question, but obviously I think it’s very important that we respect the process, the timelines, and it’s still an ongoing process that is not resolved because it’s been appealed.

“My position, and I think the club’s position, is not to make any further comments until this is fully resolved.”

When asked if he thought, that to preserve the integrity of the Premier League, the appeal and sanction needed to be resolved this season, he replied: “The people are responsible to manage this process and to come to the right conclusions and I’m sure it will be done and it will be resolved in the right way. We have to trust that.”

Arteta also added he “100%” believed the Premier League remains the best in the world.

Arsenal, who sit three points behind league leaders City, face fifth-placed Leeds on Saturday at Emirates Stadium.

After Manchester City were found guilty of Premier League breaches, rival managers give their reaction as games resume.

The Premier League returns to action this weekend following the international football break, and since a ball was last kicked domestically in the English top flight, a seismic shock was sent around the world by the guilty verdict faced by Manchester City.

An independent commission found the team guilty of more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018.

City have continued to protest their innocence and have lodged an appeal, but if the decision is upheld, then points deductions, fines, transfer embargoes and relegation are all possible punishments for the club.

City manager Enzo Maresca has said he believes the appeal will be won, and none of the trophies claimed since the period the charges began are tainted.

Al Jazeera Sport has collated the reaction of some of the managers, who were all speaking publicly for the first time since the verdict, starting with the club City face next when they travel to Liverpool on Sunday.

Liverpool manager – Andoni Iraola

“I think uncertainty is not good for anyone, and anyone involved, but the process ‌is ‌ongoing, and we have to be patient like everyone else and see what happens at the end,” Iraola said.

Manchester United manager – Michael Carrick

“I’ve got my own questions about it; it’s affected me personally in different ways over a period of time,” said the former United midfielder, who finished second to City as both a player and assistant manager since the 2008 Abu Dhabi takeover.

“What I will say, the sooner it gets sorted for everyone’s benefit is essential.

“There’s so many angles to look at, from so many different perspectives, but really speed is essential for everyone to be clear, to be able to deal with it, to be able to move on whatever happens.

“It’s unprecedented, a unique situation to be in, at this level with such a huge impact in so many ways.”

Arsenal manager – Mikel Arteta

“It is very important that we respect the process and the timelines; it is still an ongoing process because it has been appealed,” said the Spaniard, who was assistant manager to Pep Guardiola at City from 2015-2019.

“My position, and I think the club’s position, is to not make any comment until the appeal is fully resolved.

“In our hands is the way we have prepared since the international break to set the club up to win.”

Everton manager – David Moyes

“It looks terrible that Everton have been docked points and had to pay fines, and this was not so long ago, but there are other things going on that were more than 10 years ago and have not been dealt, which I find really difficult,” Moyes said in relation to the sanctions Everton faced, including being docked 10 points. Their charges related to breaches of financial sustainability rules between 2019 and 2022.

“I hope it is not just Everton that are being picked on. Manchester City have helped raise the level of the Premier League by the football they have played, their manager and the players they have had.

“We all had to park the bus, because they were that good and everybody used to say: ‘Why are you not having a go?’ – it was tough.

“But they were such a good side, and it was great times to play against Pep’s teams because they had so many good players.”

Chelsea manager – Xavi Alonso

“We need to be patient and wait until the final sanctions from the panel; they are independent enough to assess the situation,” Alonso said.

“Whatever I say and whatever opinion we have, they are the ones to take it, and we need to respect it.

“It is not in our hands; let’s see what happens, and then we need to respect it.”

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says the club’s titles are “absolutely not” tainted after they were found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.

Maresca reiterated his faith in the club’s owners and belief that they will win their appeal against the verdict during a news conference on Friday dominated by questions on the matter.

The Italian, notably relaxed as he offered his responses, rejected the suggestion City’s titles have been tainted by the ruling, as he knows “exactly the effort that the club put in to achieve” them.

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

The club have appealed against the verdict and claimed in a statement the commission’s ruling contained “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe”.

Preparing to play their first match since that verdict was announced, away to rivals Liverpool on Sunday, Maresca said in an in-house interview on Thursday the “feeling is fantastic” among his players and they are not affected by “the noise” surrounding the club.

He added on Friday: “The reason I joined this club is that I completely trust, 100%, the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, all the organisation. So I don’t have doubt about that.

“I spoke with the club for sure. We all trust, and probably the right moment to speak about that is when we are going to win this appeal.”

He added: “For me, the players – we can control just the pitch side, the football side. So we are focused on that. This is what we can do and what we can control.”

Caracas, October 8, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied a request by Venezuelan First Lady Cilia Flores to be released from jail and allowed to face trial under house arrest in New York following reported health problems.

The Southern District of New York judge argued in a bail hearing on Thursday that Flores posed a “substantial flight risk” and dismissed assurances from defense attorney Mark Donnelly that she would not flee. 

“With all the money at stake and all the contacts Ms. Flores has with the Venezuelan government and the people who make it up, the risk is serious. There is no combination of conditions that would make that risk any less serious,” Hellerstein said.

In a court filing submitted in early September, Flores’ defense team requested that the 69-year-old be transferred to a private residence in New York with armed guards around the clock, an electronic monitoring bracelet, restricted visitors, and monitored phone calls.

Flores and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro were kidnapped by US special forces on January 3. They have been detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while facing “narco-terrorism,” drug trafficking conspiracy, and weapons possession charges.

Flores’ lawyers have pleaded that she requires extensive cardiac treatment and that the prison does not provide the necessary conditions for her care. Attorneys added that the Venezuelan first lady, who is also a legislator, would cover the transfer costs and offered to surrender her passport as an additional assurance of remaining in custody.

The filing describes episodes of chest pain, arrhythmia, difficulty breathing, and a weight loss of more than 24 pounds since her detention. It also claims that Flores may have suffered a mild heart attack on July 29.

A group of demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse, demanding that the Venezuelan first lady’s health concerns be addressed and protesting the “illegal” abduction and prosecution of the presidential pair.

Hellerstein’s denial of bail coincided with US Justice Department prosecutors filing a new indictment against Maduro and Flores, expanding the charges they face in the United States.

The superseding indictment, backed by US Attorney General Todd Blanche, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jamie McDonald, DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and FBI Director Kash Patel, accuses them of conspiring to torture political opponents, military personnel, and other detainees, including three US citizens.

The prosecution’s filing alleges coercion, electric shocks, and threats against family members, among other practices. Prosecutors claim that after taking office in 2013, Maduro “oversaw a system designed to employ torture, arbitrary detention, and violence as means of repression against the political opposition.”

“As alleged in the indictment, the Maduro regime subjected American citizens to torture while held in custody of the Venezuelan government […]. Today’s charges reflect the commitment from this FBI and this Department of Justice to accountability, the rule of law, and the protection of U.S. national security,” FBI Director Kash Patel stated.

Maduro’s attorney, Barry J. Pollack, said his client denies the allegations in the new indictment and looks forward to his day in court. The updated indictment added “narco-terrorism” to the accusations against Flores.

The document also names Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the former president’s son; current Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello; former minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín; and Héctor Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang, who was reported killed in a US military operation inside Venezuelan territory in June.

Last week, US prosecutors challenged Maduro’s claim to sovereign immunity, arguing the White House had not recognized him as president and that the Venezuelan government had never requested that he be granted such status. They said, however, that Caracas had pursued a similar request for Acting President Delcy Rodríguez in a separate civil lawsuit.

Hellerstein is scheduled to hear oral arguments from both sides on the immunity question on November 17. The US government has asked the court to reject motions filed by Maduro and Flores seeking dismissal of charges. If the case proceeds, the trial is scheduled to begin in June 2027.

The Venezuelan government has not commented on the latest charges against the Venezuelan president and first lady or on their legal claims to immunity.

Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca says the “feeling is fantastic” among his players and they “don’t care too much about the noise” surrounding the club after it was found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against it by the Premier League.

The club’s international players returned to training on Thursday, nine days after the Premier League published a damning report that stated the club had used “sham” contracts to disguise secret funding of more than £830m.

BBC Sport reported this week that Maresca would address the players upon their return to domestic duty after news of the verdict broke while the majority of the squad were away with their respective nations.

It is understood the City head coach asked his players not to allow the crisis that has engulfed the club to affect their attitude and focus as the Premier League campaign gets back under way this weekend.

“The feeling is fantastic, to be honest,” Maresca said in an in-house interview when asked about the mood among his squad prior to their trip to face Liverpool on Sunday (16:30 BST).

“The players are excited for the next two games. But especially they are excited because in this moment we are top of the league. The players are just focused on that.

“They know what we can control is the football side – they are not worried at all about different things.

“They know their profession and they know that the noise is there, but they don’t care too much about the noise. They are just focused in this moment on how we can beat Liverpool and how, together with the fans, we can try to win in Anfield.”

Maresca added he felt “calm” and his squad trusts the club “completely”.

City have launched an appeal and have publicly maintained their innocence.

The private communication to those with links to the playing staff at City has been equally as emphatic, it is understood.

Speaking to Sky Sports, striker Erling Haaland echoed his manager’s sentiments, saying: “I care a lot about this place. I spent my first four years here, it’s a special place for us. I care a lot about City and the fans. I am a fan myself. I feel with them.

“The fans will have a good time on Sunday – we have to stick together. We have to stay with each other and stay positive. No matter what happens in life, we always have to smile. Stay positive, look ahead, and try to win football games and enjoy the situation.

“We have to stick together and spread the love to each other. Enjoy the ride and smile.”

Jose Mourinho, one of most outspoken against Man City spending when United manager, jibes EPL appeal to outlast him.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho joked that he may not live to see the end of Manchester City’s legal battle with the Premier League after the club appealed against a ruling that found it guilty of serious financial rule breaches.

An independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, as well as three of four charges relating to failures to cooperate with the investigation. City have denied wrongdoing and lodged an appeal.

The Premier League said that City used “sham” commercial agreements to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than 900 million pounds ($1.19bn) over nearly a decade, resulting in inaccurate financial reporting and breaches of spending rules.

Mourinho managed Manchester United from 2016 to 2018 and led them to a second-placed Premier League finish behind Pep Guardiola’s City in 2017-18.

“I would rather laugh about it,” Mourinho said when asked about the case in an interview with Italy’s Corriere dello Sport.

“I think we will eventually get an ending, but we are both in our 60s, and we’ll need to be lucky enough to still be around when the final verdict arrives.

“There will be a verdict, then appeals, then more appeals.”

Mourinho has long maintained that one of his greatest achievements in football management was finishing second behind Guardiola’s side, given their spending power at the time.

The Portuguese manager, now 63, said in 2024 that he had not given up on being awarded a winner’s medal for the 2018 season.

“I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league,” he quipped at a press conference ahead of a Europa League match against United with his then-club, Fenerbahce.

“Then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”

The appeal process will be conducted in private, and it remains unclear whether any sanctions would be imposed before it is heard, or whether any punishment would take effect immediately.

City, seeking a sixth successive league win, are top of the Premier League with 15 points from five matches and travel to Liverpool on Sunday.

Holders Arsenal entertain Leeds on Saturday, while United host Tottenham later the same day.

Mourinho’s Real Madrid trail fierce rivals and La Liga leaders Barcelona by six points, with five wins and two defeats from their seven league matches this season.

Both Barca and Real are in action on Saturday, with Getafe and Villarreal visiting, respectively.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca claims players unfazed by financial breaches verdict ahead of Liverpool showdown.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has brushed off the guilty verdict hanging over the club and says he and the players are fully focused on football matters.

City could face a severe points penalty and even expulsion from the Premier League after an independent commission found they used “sham” commercial contracts to inflate revenue and cut costs by over 900 million pounds ($1.2bn) between 2009 and 2018.

City, who top the league with five wins in five games, return to action for the first time since the guilty verdict was revealed when they travel to Liverpool on Sunday.

The eight-time Premier League winners, who have appealed the decision, then play their first game in front of their own fans since the verdict, when they entertain back-to-back Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

“I am very calm, the club has been quite calm. We trust completely the club,” Maresca told City’s in-house media on Thursday.

“We understand the noise, but the focus for us is what we control and we control the football side.

“The feeling is fantastic, to be honest.”

Maresca, who was assistant to former manager Pep Guardiola during the 2022-2023 season, addressed the players for the first time since the verdict when they returned to training on Thursday following the international break.

When asked about the reaction of the squad – many of whom have been linked with a move away from City if the club’s appeal fails – Maresca said they were “excited” given their start to the season.

“The players are excited for the next two games, but especially they are excited because in this moment, we are top of the league, so the players they are just focused ‌‌on that,” he said.

“They know that what we can control is the football side. They are not worried at all about different things. They know they are professionals.

“They know that the noise is there, but they don’t care too much about the noise.

“They are just focused on this moment, how we can beat Liverpool, how we can, together with the fans, try to win at Anfield.”

As part of City’s appeal against the decision they have continued to maintain their innocence, saying the independent commission’s opinion contains “clear material errors” and that they possess evidence supporting their position.

The commission also found the ⁠⁠club guilty of charges relating to their failure to cooperate with the investigation.

Premier League holders Arsenal begin the weekend’s action in the top flight on Saturday when they entertain Leeds United with the chance to move level on points with City, who would then hold Sunday’s game in hand.

Erling Haaland calls on Man City to unit as Premier League club appeals more than 100 charges of wrongdoing.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland says the Premier League club must ‘stick together’ following the guilty verdict delivered on more than 100 charges for financial breaches.

The league leaders head to Liverpool on Sunday ⁠⁠for their first game since an independent commission found the club guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules over nine years, as well as charges relating to their failure to co-operate with the investigation.

City have insisted they are innocent of all charges and have appealed the decision. Should the verdict be upheld, City could face relegation, points deductions and fines.

“We are going to have a good time [on Sunday]. We have to stick together, we have to stay positive. We have to look ahead and try to win football games,” Haaland told the United Kingdom broadcaster Sky Sports.

“No matter what happens in life we always have to have a smile.”

“We have to enjoy the situation. We have to spread the love to each other, stick together, enjoy the ride and smile.”

Haaland welcomes Liverpool test for Manchester City

City have won all five of their matches in the Premier League this season and are three points clear of last season’s champions, Arsenal.

Liverpool are sixth in the league and six points behind City, after a mixed start for their new manager Andoni Iraola. The joint record Premier League winners, with 20 titles alongside Manchester United, are, however, undefeated.

The Reds will also be buoyed by what is expected to be an even more vociferous support than usual at their Anfield home.

During the period that Manchester City were investigated, 2009-2018, Liverpool finished second by two points behind City.

Under the management of Jurgen Klopp, they also twice finished just a point behind Pep Guardiola’s City in subsequent years.

The allegation from rival fans is that City’s financial wrongdoing was tantamount to cheating and gave the club a significant advantage during that time and the seasons that have followed the period in question.

With that, Anfield is expected to deliver an angry and hostile reception for the current City squad, but Haaland, who played with Molde, Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund before joining City, says the game itself is always a big occasion.

“It is always special to play against Liverpool,” Haaland continued.

“Especially with Pep and Klopp, I remember sitting in Molde, Salzburg and Dortmund watching the games and how much they pushed each other.

“It is always special to play a game there. Every game against Liverpool is special.”

What does the future hold for Haaland and Man City?

Haaland was born in England, while his father – Alf-Inge Haaland – was a player in the Premier League for City and Leeds United.

The 26-year-old Norwegian international has, alongside the majority of City’s squad, been heavily linked with a move away from the club, should they be relegated.

In the meantime, Haaland was keen to stress what the club means to him and his family.

“I care a lot about this place. I spent my first four years here. It is a special place for us [his family],” Haaland added.

“I care a lot about City and the fans, I am a fan myself and I feel with them.”

Hours before Nithya Raman took the stage at Jewish Federation L.A.’s mayoral forum this week, Mayor Karen Bass’ campaign blasted out a press release accusing the council member of skipping a City Council Jewish Heritage Month event to appear on Hasan Piker’s livestream.

The Raman camp’s response: “The Mayor is deliberately spreading misinformation that the public record directly contradicts,” said Liz Garcia, a campaign spokesperson.

Piker is a left-wing streamer on the platform Twitch and a fierce critic of Israel. Raman appeared on his stream on May 15, where he asked her if she thought Israel was committing genocide in Palestine. She said she did.

That same day, Raman missed a Jewish Heritage Month event at City Hall. Debbie Paperman, who is on the executive board of Democrats for Israel Los Angeles, said Raman told her that she had not been feeling well.

The Bass campaign, citing the fact that Raman appeared on Piker’s stream the same day, fired off an email to reporters claiming the councilmember had lied about her reasons for missing the Jewish heritage event.

The Raman campaign said that Raman was, in fact, ill.

Video from the May 15 council meeting shows Raman was present at the start of the meeting, but no longer at her seat during the heritage event, in which Councilmember Bob Blumenfield celebrated Jewish athletes. More than an hour later, Raman was back in council to make a speech and introduce other speakers for Hapa Day, celebrating people of mixed Asian and Pacific Island heritage, during which she said she wasn’t feeling well.

Raman’s team said she was still at City Hall during the Jewish Heritage Month event, but that she left council chambers due to her illness.

She felt better later that afternoon, the Raman camp said, allowing her to appear on Piker’s show.

Paperman said she wasn’t convinced. “It happened that you were sick for the multiple hours this was going on and you happened to get better to go on this psycho’s stream?” said Paperman. “I don’t believe that.”

Piker, meanwhile, shot back at the mayor for using his name to try to dissuade voters from supporting Raman.

“Karen Bass is deploying the same nasty tactic that Donald Trump used recently at a press conference, wondering out loud why any Jewish person would vote for Democrats, due to my presence in the big tent,” he told The Times in a text message.

Piker said he will vote for Raman, though he supported Bass against billionaire Rick Caruso in 2022.

“I was also a fan of [her] past work in Cuba,” he told The Times. “Karen Bass used to be quite the radical.”

Bass swings up in new poll

Bass will need to rely on undecided Republican and conservative voters to propel her to a mayoral victory, a new poll paid for by a group supporting her found.

The incumbent mayor is trailing Raman by 4 percentage points, 39% to 35%, with a quarter of the electorate still undecided, according to the initial results from an FM3 Research poll that was commissioned by the Central City Assn.’s PAC, an independent expenditure group supporting the mayor.

When the pollsters gave likely voters additional, critical information about both candidates, Bass shot up by 5 points and took a narrow lead over Raman, 40% to 39%, with 21% undecided, according to FM3.

“The undecided voters — including many that say they will refuse to make a choice between Bass and Raman by Election Day — are disproportionately: Republicans, conservatives, 65+, homeowners, Democratic women over the age of 50 and those who do not hold a college degree,” wrote the research company in a polling memorandum.

The poll surveyed 809 likely L.A. voters from Sept. 21-28. It has a 3.5% margin of error.

“The mayoral race remains a statistical tie,” said Nella McOsker, the president of the Central City Assn. “Our poll demonstrates that some of the most reliable voting blocs swing to Bass once they fully learn both candidates’ records.”

A poll conducted between Sept. 15 and Sept. 20 by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by The Times, found Raman was ahead 39% to 28%.

Raman allies engage in trash talk

A woman walks out of her home carrying a full garbage bag, then starts venting about the high cost of trash pickup.

“Karen Bass has nearly bankrupted L.A., so the city doubled my trash fees. Isn’t L.A. expensive enough?” the woman says angrily, before slamming the lid on a black trash bin.

That message is at the heart of a campaign video created by Streets For All, a transportation advocacy group now spending about $1.2 million to promote Raman and tear down Bass.

That ad is missing a key piece of information: Raman voted to hike those trash fees several times last year, even as two of her council colleagues spoke out against them.

“I was one of two no votes,” said City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who is supporting Bass’ reelection, in an interview. “She never once pushed back.”

Rodriguez called the ad misleading, saying it implies that Raman was an opponent of the fee hikes.

Michael Schneider, who runs the Streets For All campaign committee, defended the 14-second spot, saying council members hiked the trash fees to make up for bad budget decisions made by the mayor — including her support for a $2.6-billion upgrade of the Convention Center.

The council boosted the trash fee to $55.95 per month last year for small apartment buildings, up from $24.33. For single-family homes, the monthly fee was also hiked to $55.95, up from $36.32.

The city’s budget advisors said the increases were needed in large part because the monthly fees had not been increased in 17 years. As a result, L.A.’s residential trash customers were not being charged the full cost of garbage pickup, leaving the city budget to cover the difference.

“Kick it in the Park” gets Olympic makeover

L.A.’s summer of 2026 will be remembered for stifling heat, innumerable Dodgers injuries and, especially, World Cup watch parties.

Teams, corporate sponsors and the city of Los Angeles welcomed in the world, producing large crowds and kumbaya moments — with fans of opposing teams partying side-by-side in (relative) peace and harmony.

Mayor Karen Bass’ “Kick it in the Park” events drew a total of 45,000 fans over the length of the quadrennial soccer tournament. A survey of about 2,000 of them registered overwhelming support for the free shindigs.

Paul Krekorian, executive director of the mayor’s Office of Major Events, declared victory in a meeting with City Council members this week. He also said that substantial planning is already underway to bring the city even more viewing parties and “activations” during the 2028 Olympics.

While the city hosted a maximum of three viewing parties a day during the World Cup, it plans to stage as many as 15 a day when the Olympics come to town. A list has been drawn up of possible locations for the festivities — spread around every corner of the city and distant from Olympic venues to avoid overcrowding.

Among the possible viewing party locations: MacArthur Park, the Greek Theatre, Pan Pacific Park, Leimert Park Plaza, Koreatown, Penmar Recreation Center, Echo Park Lake, Angels Gate Park and the Watts Towers.

Given the welter of Olympic events, it will be a challenge to schedule the parties, whose centerpieces are usually big screen projections of the live events, with food and live performances often thrown in.

State of play

— SPLIT ON GAZA: Bass and Raman split on Tuesday over whether Israel has committed genocide in Gaza during the Israel Gaza war. The two candidates gave their opinions during a forum hosted by Jewish Federation Los Angeles. Raman said she agrees with the experts who use the term, while Bass said she would not use the term genocide to describe Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza.

— WILDFIRE FAILURES: A long-awaited independent investigation commissioned by Gov. Gavin Newsom offered the most in-depth review of the Jan. 7, 2025, Palisades and Eaton fires, describing the chaos and poor communication that made firefighting, rescues and evacuations even more difficult. The 724-page report also cited the Los Angeles Fire Department’s failure to fully extinguish the Jan. 1 Lachman fire, which reignited days later, and Los Angeles County’s failure to provide timely evacuation alerts in Altadena.

— ESTAMOS CON WHOM?: Recent polling by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by The Times, found that likely Latino voters favor Councilmember Raman over incumbent Bass by a wide margin — 45% to 21%, with 34% undecided. That’s an even bigger lead than Raman had over Bass with voters overall in the most recent Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times poll.

— VOTER GUIDES: The Times released its much-anticipated voter guides for the November election this week, including a mayoral guide and a guide to the Council District 9 race, among many others.

— OLYMPIC OBSCURA: The nonprofit organizer of the 2028 Summer Olympics, LA28, has provided less information in its annual reports than it agreed to in a 2021 contract with the city. The group has stopped reporting the contracts it signs over $1 million, leaving taxpayers with less information about the work going into the Games. LA28 says it has provided all necessary info.

The city also asked LA28 to take out a $650-million insurance policy, and agree to cover any potential losses above that amount, should the Games be canceled by a calamity.

— LAPD BLUES: Secret recordings documenting LAPD officers making racist comments have renewed questions about whether the force, which is now less than 50% white, has made forward progress on stamping out prejudice in its ranks.

— STORM’S BREWING: L.A.’s sanitation agency is bracing for the coming ‘Super’ El Niño, which could wreak havoc with the city’s Hyperion sewage treatment plant.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program went to East Hollywood in Hugo Soto-Martínez’s district on Tuesday, where they moved 61 people indoors near Beverly Boulevard and Madison Avenue. On Thursday, Inside Safe moved 27 people indoors near Louvre Street and Ralston Avenue in Pacoima in Rodriguez’s district.
• On the docket next week: On Wednesday, the City Council’s transportation committee will be discussing an independent evaluation of the city’s Vision Zero Program.

Stay in touch

That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

EXPLAINER

Real Madrid accuse Barcelona of paying former refereeing official Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018.

Real Madrid have urged UEFA to conclude its ongoing investigation into the Negreira case with “utmost urgency” after European football’s governing body confirmed receiving a dossier from them on Thursday.

The case pertains to Barcelona football club allegedly paying millions of dollars to the company of Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice president of Spanish football’s refereeing committee, between 2001 and 2018, to try to influence referee decisions.

Barcelona have denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest and said they paid him for reports and advice related to refereeing.

Thursday’s statement by UEFA was the latest update in its investigation into the payments opened in 2023, while there is an ongoing Spanish criminal case as well.

Here’s everything you need to know about the case:

What is the Real Madrid vs Barcelona Negreira case?

Barcelona allegedly paid more than 7.3 million euros ($7.95m) between 2001 and 2018 to firms owned by Negreira, who was vice president of the refereeing committee of the Spanish football association from 1993-2018.

In March 2023, Spanish prosecutors formally charged Barcelona as well as two of the club’s former presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and Negreira and his son, Javier Enriquez Negreira, with corruption over the affair.

Barcelona was accused of corruption in sports, fraudulent management and the falsification of mercantile documentation; it denies any wrongdoing and says the payments were made for technical refereeing reports.

In June 2023, UEFA’s investigators decided that Barcelona would not face any punishment, and the club has continued to play in European competition since then.

What are Real Madrid’s accusations against Barcelona?

Real Madrid have primarily accused Barcelona of sports corruption and influencing refereeing decisions through payments to Negreira.

The club joined the complaint filed by Spanish prosecutors against Barcelona and expressed their “deep concern about the seriousness of the facts”.

According to reports in Spanish media, Real Madrid have requested that Barcelona be stripped of the nine titles they won between 2001 and 2018, the years in which the Catalan club paid Negreira.

What have UEFA, Real Madrid, and Barcelona said?

All three entities issued separate statements on Thursday night.

• UEFA: The governing body confirmed receiving a “substantial amount of documents” — reportedly worth 50,000 pages — from Real Madrid pertaining to the investigation. “The UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have also received these latest documents which they will assess as part of their ongoing review,” it said in a statement.
• Real Madrid: The club issued its statement following UEFA’s announcement and confirmed that it had provided “extensive documentation and evidence regarding events of extraordinary seriousness, which directly affect the integrity of the competition and confidence in the refereeing system.” It urged that UEFA’s investigation proceed with “utmost urgency until its full conclusion” now that the dossier has been handed over.
• Barcelona: Accused party Barcelona issued a statement clarifying that the latest development pertains to the same ongoing investigation, and that “proceedings have not been reopened because they have never been closed.” “As of today, they have not made any new requests to FC Barcelona nor have they forwarded Real Madrid’s complaint to the Club. Should they do so, the Club will respond accordingly, as it has done up to now.”

What else is going on between Real Madrid and Barcelona?

Some reports in Spain claim that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and FC Barcelona have been summoned to appear before a Madrid court on November 25 for a conciliation hearing ahead of possible criminal proceedings for defamation against Perez.

The hearing follows legal action launched by Barcelona on June 12 over comments made by Perez in May in the Negreira case.

Barcelona said the action was intended to force Perez to retract statements it described as knowingly false, defamatory and damaging to the club’s image and reputation.

The club warned that if the conciliation process failed, it would file a criminal complaint.

The dispute centres on comments Perez made at a May 12 news conference concerning the so-called Negreira case.

Perez described the affair as “the most serious case of corruption in football”, adding: “We could never have imagined Barcelona giving money to the head of the referees.”

He also claimed Real Madrid had been denied league titles, saying: “I’ve won seven leagues. I could have won twice as many. The others were stolen from me.”

Neither entity has issued any statement since UEFA acknowledged receiving Real Madrid’s dossier on Thursday.

Will the case have an impact on El Clasico?

The Spanish football giants will meet in the first leg of El Clasico on October 25 in La Liga. The case will have no bearing on the scheduling of the match but could provide an added touch of drama to what is known as one of the most bitter football rivalries in club football.

Manchester City‘s spending power unquestionably changed the world football transfer market – their willingness to pay higher fees and wages meant prices rose for everybody else too.

And once the world knows that a club has a wedge of cash burning a hole in its pocket courtesy of City, it can be difficult to spend it.

Asking prices may rise, and having an influx of money is no guarantee of it being well spent.

For many of the teams to whom City paid the most during this time, the money did not work out particularly beneficially.

Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting cases.

First up, Wolfsburg. They immediately signed winger Julian Draxler for about half the fee received for Kevin de Bruyne in 2016, as well as others including veteran defender Dante.

Having lost De Bruyne, they dropped from second to eighth in the Bundesliga before narrowly avoiding relegation in the subsequent two seasons.

And things did not go particularly well for second highest-ranked club Monaco either.

The most direct players they signed following the sales of Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva in the same summer to Manchester City – Terence Kongolo and Keita Balde – did not work out in the long run, and the team went from winning Ligue 1 and reaching the Champions League semi-finals to almost being relegated within two years.

The club City purchased most players from in the 2009-18 period – Arsenal (four) – did not mount a serious Premier League title challenge during that time.

Some clubs who did not receive payments from City could also argue that the spending of money from their “inflated” accounts compromised their chances.

For example, Manchester City paid very similar totals to Benfica and Porto during the era, but nothing to Sporting, the club which makes up the big three in Portugal.

Sporting did not win a title between 2009 and 2018. There are many reasons for that, but could one of them be the fact that their direct rivals received money from City that would perhaps not have been on offer had they followed football’s financial rules?

Holidaymakers will also be given greater flexibility to correct simple name errors including spelling mistakes on bookings for free – rather than facing charges

Rip-off airline charges including hidden fees for parents to sit next to children under 14 will be banned under government plans.

Holidaymakers will also be given greater flexibility to correct simple name errors including spelling mistakes on bookings for free – rather than facing charges.

Under the proposals unveiled today, airlines will be required to seat children under the age of 14 with a parent or adult accompanying them free of charge.

Andy Burnham said: “Charging parents just to sit with their children is a rip-off, plain and simple. And being hit with a hefty fee for a simple spelling mistake on a booking form isn’t right either.

“People are fed up with these little charges that add up, so I’m putting a stop to them. This is what our everyday fixes are all about. Giving people room to breathe by tackling the small irritations that catch people out, waste their time and cost them money.”

Earlier this year the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) investigated budget airline Ryanair over such charges costing around £8 each way.

Under the airline’s old policy parents had to book a “mandatory family seat” to sit with their children aged 2-11 in order to secure a seat when they flew.

But Ryanair – which the CMA said was the only major operator to charge such a fee – changed its policy in June with kids up to the age of 11 seated next to their parents free of charge.

It’s website now states: “For safety reasons, children aged between 2 and 11 years must sit next to an accompanying adult, and infants (8 days to 23 months inclusive) must sit on an accompanying adult’s lap. Families may choose either to reserve seats or select free random allocation.

“If random allocation is selected, children will be seated next to an accompanying adult on the same reservation free of charge. Other adults and teens on the booking may be allocated seats separately.”

The government said that while some airlines already offer protections on fees, the reforms will guarantee the same rights for passengers – despite who they fly with.

British Airways policy already makes clear children up to the age of 12 will be seated for free. It states: “To ensure your family has the best seats when you fly, we recommend choosing yours in advance when you book. There may be an additional fee for this.

“If you don’t choose your seats in advance, we always do our best to seat your family together based on flight seat availability. This may mean that you’ll be seated in adjacent rows or across the aisle. All children under 12 will be seated with an accompanying adult.”

EasyJet’s policy adds:”If you leave it to the last minute it’s possible that there may not be enough seats left for us to seat your family next to each other.

“We’ll still make sure each child under 12 is seated close to an adult on your booking. However we may only be able to arrange this at the airport or on board, which can cause delays for you and other passengers, and not everyone may be seated together.”

The government said the move was the latest in the PM’s attempts to give people breathing space, including action already unveiled on costly subscription traps and school uniform rip-offs.

Heidi Alexander, Transport Secretary, said: “Parents should not have to feel the pinch just to sit next to their child on a flight, or for amending a simple booking error. That’s why we’re scrapping these unnecessary charges for all airlines – another everyday fix to help put money back in people’s pockets and give households more breathing room.

“And everyone deserves to travel knowing their flight isn’t going to be disrupted by bad behaviour from a small minority. These common-sense reforms will make flying safer for staff and passengers and protect people from unnecessary charges, whoever they fly with.”

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, added: “It’s clearly unfair to force parents and children as young as three to pay an extra fee just to sit together. Airlines that have separated families are putting profit ahead of passenger peace of mind.

“Which? has successfully pressured many airlines into dropping these fees over the past ten years. So it’s welcome to see the government taking firm action on this by outlawing these charges completely and finally putting an end to this rip off.

“It is also positive to see greater flexibility to amend simple mistakes, protecting consumers from unnecessary charges.”

Meanwhile, City club sponsor Etihad Airways said it is considering legal action against the Premier League.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates-based airline said it “categorically rejects any finding, conclusion or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements”.

It added: “The Premier League’s public communication of the commission’s findings, following a period of selective leaks and reporting, has further created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the redacted published findings.”

Etihad, City’s main sponsor since 2009, also said it was given no opportunity to engage in a process that now reflects “adversely on the airline”.

The statement added: “Etihad is deeply concerned by the way this matter has been communicated publicly.

“The lack of clarity and transparency, together with the selective disclosure of information, has created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the published decision.

“The Premier League must take responsibility for the consequences of the way in which these findings have been presented.

“Etihad will seek the relevant legal counsel on the options and recourse available to protect its interests.”

The Premier League declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.

Manchester City manager Andree Jeglertz did not comment on whether he had received assurances that the women’s team would not be impacted after the club was found guilty of Premier League financial breaches.

Jeglertz, who joined City last summer, said it was “business as usual” and when asked about how the women’s team could be affected, added: “I don’t want to comment more around that.”

There were seven questions in total posed to Jeglertz relating to the charges before Manchester City’s press officer requested the media moved away from it.

The club has been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

The Premier League said City arranged “sham contracts” with a number of commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m.

The club continue to deny any wrongdoing and have until 2 October to submit an appeal.

The women’s team were the first representatives of the club to address the media since the guilty charges were confirmed by the Premier League.

It is still unknown what impact the charges could have on the women’s team, though BBC Sport understands there is no active investigation taking place from WSL Football.

The charges, which were breaches of Premier League rules, are different financial regulations to the WSL and they came at a time when the women’s league was under the governing body of the Football Association.

There is no suggestion so far that any WSL opponents have expressed concern for City’s charges, or whether they believe it has helped the women’s team progress.

City defender Jade Rose said the women’s players had received “the same messaging the public has” from the club.

When asked about the charges raising any concerns for the players, she added: “I’m just here to talk about the football. That’s what we’re focusing on.”

The team took part in an open training session earlier on Wednesday morning and there did not appear to be any changes to their routine or behaviour.

Therese Sjogran, director of women’s football at Manchester City, was in attendance for training, as she often is.

There were a few additional media in attendence for Jeglertz and Rose’s press conference to preview their Women’s Champions League game against Real Madrid.

Jeglertz responded to former men’s manager Pep Guardiola’s statement on social media, which voiced his support for the club.

Asked whether Jeglertz also stood beside the club, he said: “Definitely. I am working at the club now so that’s who I am hired by and working with, so, for sure.”

Jeglertz also said he did not find it more challenging to prepare for Thursday’s game despite the noise surrounding the club.

“I don’t think so. We have been training like normal and doing the work we can do to affect the game,” he said.

“We haven’t changed anything, we have just kept on doing everything we normally do. Definitely the thing the club has been presented, is the information we have inside of our group.

“We can’t talk about anything else and we don’t need to talk about anything else at the moment.”

Jeglertz added that he was not frustrated by the negative media attention despite City’s strong start to their WSL campaign.

The defending champions currently have 12 points from their opening four matches in the WSL and are top of the table.

They face Real Madrid on Wednesday (20:00 BST) in their second Women’s Champions League league phase match, having drawn their opener against Bayern Munich last week.

The Spanish coach won 20 trophies during a glittering 10 years as City manager before departing in May.

Former Manchester ‌City manager Pep Guardiola has spoken out ⁠in support ⁠of the Premier League club after they were found guilty of serious ⁠breaches of financial rules.

The Spaniard handed over to former assistant Enzo Maresca at the end ⁠of last season after a decade in charge.

“I want every single @ManCity fan to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have ‌been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters,” Guardiola said on Wednesday ⁠in a first reaction on his ⁠X account.

“Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

City’s Chief Executive Ferran Soriano addressed staff in a video on Tuesday in which he rejected the independent commission’s findings.

Guardiola ⁠took charge of City in 2016 and under his management, ⁠they won six Premier League titles – ⁠including four in a row – three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League.

The Premier League charges, relating ‌to “sham” commercial contracts used as part of schemes to inflate revenue and understate costs by more ‌than 900 ‌million pounds ($1.2bn) over nearly a decade, cover the period from 2009-18.

In doing so, they concealed the true state of their finances and avoided breaching Premier League and UEFA spending limits during a period in which they won three league titles.

An independent commission found the club guilty on all charges related to breaches of financial rules over the nine-year period.

They have also been found guilty of most of the charges they faced in relation to a failure to cooperate with a Premier League investigation.

City, who continue to deny any wrongdoing, have said they will appeal and have until Friday to do so.

The ruling has sent shockwaves through English football and cast doubt over the future of a club that has become a European giant.

The likely punishment is uncertain but according to Premier League rules, City could face a substantial points deduction, a fine or even expulsion from the top division.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were handed points deductions in the 2023/24 season for single breaches of financial sustainability rules.

On that basis, City would likely face relegation given the sheer weight of the case against them.

There is speculation they could even be stripped of their titles.

“If the appeal fails, Manchester City cannot stay in the league, they have to suffer. And I say that as a supporter and a fan,” said the club’s former chairman, David Bernstein.

Another factor is a potential flood of compensation claims that could cost the club hundreds of millions.

Former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow told the BBC that clubs would be “queueing up to seek compensation”.