When the football world learned Leicester would face no points deduction this season despite being charged with breaking spending rules, it did not take people long to draw certain conclusions.
‘Manchester City’s lawyers are smiling today,’ read one message seen by Mail Sport and it was hardly an isolated opinion.
If Leicester, with their relatively modest budget, could outmanoeuvre the Premier League‘s finest legal minds, then what chance did the the governing body have against the financial might of the reigning champions?
The first thing to say is that no two cases are the same. Just because Leicester have been able to escape punishment, it does not follow that the League will also be frustrated in their attempts to make the 115 charges against City stick.
Yet City’s legal team will surely have followed the Leicester case with interest. Last March, the club were charged with breaking League profitability and sustainability (PSR) rules for the 2022-23 accounting period. The previous year, Leicester had extended that cut-off date by a month, so it concluded on June 30 rather than May 31. This is not uncommon in accounting practice but proved crucial for Leicester this time.
It was recently revealed that Leicester would avoid a points deduction despite being charged with breaking spending rules
It did not take long for people to draw certain conclusions when the verdict was announced
Manchester City will now do battle against the Premier League amid financial charges
City’s legal team pictured leaving the first day of the hearing in London on Monday
The Foxes were then able to appeal that that the Premier League did not have the power to charge them as the club were not a member of the competition for the entire period in question. An independent panel agreed with Leicester, who had recorded losses of nearly £90million for the 2022-23 season alone.
Under Premier League rules, clubs are allowed to lose no more than £105m over a three-year period. No wonder the League’s executives were spitting feathers.
When Enzo Maresca left Leicester for Chelsea last summer, he was succeeded by Cooper but the Welshman was not the only candidate, with West Bromwich Albion’s Carlos Corberan and former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter also considered.
During the interview process, the Leicester hierarchy were asked difficult questions about the PSR charge and are said to have exuded calm assurance throughout. That tends to happen when Nick De Marco KC is in your corner.
De Marco, who works out of the same firm Blackstone Chambers who have sent Lord Pannick to represent City, has an impressive list of clients that reads like a who’s who of football. He has represented more than 45 English clubs, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Chelsea and Aston Villa, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy.
De Marco is a Queens Park Rangers fan who uses his social media accounts to showcase two of his main hobbies – cooking and photography. Not that he has much time to indulge them. De Marco is the barrister clubs, players and governing bodies call when they feel they may be in a spot of bother.
‘Nick is so impressive’ reads a testimonial from legal analysts Chambers UK on Blackstone’s website. ‘He knows so much about football, he has cut himself out as unique in the sport.’
Delighted as Leicester were to avoid a potential penalty, those around the squad certainly have their eyes and ears open.
Nick De Marco KC was in Leicester’s corner for the process, with the club confident of result
De Marco has represented more than 45 English clubs, as well as stars such as England captain Harry Kane (pictured)
The Premier League were furious that Leicester’s appeal had succeeded and the EFL are not happy, either.
In 2023, with Leicester heading for promotion from the Championship, the EFL attempted to impose a business plan on the Foxes, such were their concerns about the state of their finances. Leicester avoided that, too, arguing that – you’ve guessed it – the League did not have the jurisdiction to take this action.
Last season Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked eight and four points respectively for breaking spending rules and other top-flight clubs, such as Chelsea, Newcastle and Aston Villa, have had to jump through several hoops to stay on the right side of the line.
You can only imagine what they thought when they heard Leicester were in the clear. Cooper hopes the judgement will help unite the club in the face of anger elsewhere.
He said: ‘Even before I joined the club, they were pretty calm about the situation. This club are up front with you and it was an obvious question to ask about what might have been a difficult situation. The club have been really calm.
‘It’s good for the fans that they have clarity on it. Even now the decision has gone our way, we have to make sure we are still together.
Leicester manager Steve Cooper said that his club have been ‘really calm’ about events
Manchester City’s hearing into 115 alleged breaches – which they deny – starts this week
‘If there is any opinion on it, we need to show how strong we are and that we won’t let any noise interfere. It adds to the challenge but it’s one we’re ready for.’
The real challenge is to match De Marco’s prowess in the courtrooms with performances on the pitch. Judging by De Marco’s record, it will be no easy task.
