Former Manchester City star Aymeric Laporte has revealed what club bosses have told players about the 115 charges hearing and its potential outcome.
The hearing into City's alleged breaches of Premier League rules finally got underway on Monday following a lengthy investigation into the defending champions.
The charges mainly relate to a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018, with City accused of various alleged rule breaches - all of which the club strenuously deny.
City have been accused of failing to provide accurate financial information, failing to provide accurate details for player and manager payments, breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSR), failing to comply with UEFA regulations including financial fair play (FFP) and failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations.
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City's hearing is expected to last around two months and will be overseen by an independent commission. However, a final outcome to the case - including any potential appeal - is not expected to be reached until next summer.
Several punishments for City, should they be found guilty of all charges, have been touted – including fines, points deductions and even relegation from the Premier League.
However, City claim they have "irrefutable evidence" to support their defence and "look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all."
Laporte, a five-time Premier League title-winner at City and part of the Treble-winning squad of 2022/23, has now revealed what club bosses have told the players about the hearing.
The Frenchman, who joined Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in 2023, told the Daily Mail: "When I was there and the news broke, the sporting director [Txiki Begiristain] and the CEO [Ferran Soriano] came and told all the players and staff that we can all be very calm because not one rule has been broken by Man City.
"They told us everything was fine so that's why we all think City will be fine. I don't think there will be any issues.
"Like Pep Guardiola always says, if something wrong has been done, they will have to pay for it."
City manager Guardiola claimed last week that City's biggest rivals in the Premier League want the club to be punished, even before the start of the hearing.
Responding to claims by La Liga president Javier Tebas that City's rivals are keen to see them sanctioned, Guardiola said: "Maybe he's right.
"For the fact that all the Premier League teams want us to be sanctioned, that is for sure.
"I agree with Tebas for the first time, and hopefully the last. I am pretty sure I agree with that. That's why I say to Mr Tebas and the Premier League teams: wait for the independent panel.
"Justice is there in a modern democracy so yeah, wait for the decision, it's not more complicated than that. But I don't know if he is a lawyer or the rest of the Premier League teams are lawyers so what I ask for is that – wait, it happened with UEFA.
"We believe that we have not done anything wrong so we go to an independent panel and we are going to wait."
City were first charged in February 2023 after a four-year investigation into the club.
The Etihad club have won the Premier League eight times since 2012, including six of the last seven titles.
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Aymeric Laporte, Pep Guardiola, FFP, Football
Rory O'Callaghan