Everton has distanced itself from relegation positions in the English Premier League after yesterday's decision to reduce the penalty of deducting 10 points from their tally to just six.
In April of last year, a journalist praised AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho for leading the team to third place in the Italian league. Still, Mourinho interrupted, saying, "Are we in third place in the table? Are we sure Juventus doesn't have 59 points?" Clearly referring to Juventus appealing against a 15-point deduction due to financial violations, he added mockingly, "We are in Italy."
England now faces a serious crisis regarding the integrity of the league, touted as the best in the world.
Moving from 17th to 15th
It was officially confirmed yesterday that Everton's points deduction for violating Financial Fair Play rules in the English Premier League has been reduced to just six points after the appeal. As a result, Everton jumped from 17th to 15th in the league table, now five points clear of the relegation zone instead of just one. Suddenly, Luton finds itself only four points away from safety.
However, Everton's ordeal is not over as the team faces another charge between 2019 and 2023, meaning they could face further points deduction.
Nottingham Forest, who dropped to 17th after yesterday's decision, also faces a charge related to Financial Fair Play rules that could lead to relegation from the Championship at the end of the season.
Manchester City's Disaster
Justice must be served, and legal procedures followed in such serious cases. However, there is frustration due to the length of time it takes to resolve these crises and impose sanctions.
It's not just the relegation battle ignited by points deductions, but also the competition for the league title. Manchester City aims to win its fourth consecutive title, the sixth in seven years, despite facing over 100 violations of English Premier League financial regulations in March of last year.
Surprisingly, City's trial has not commenced yet. In January, Richard Masters, the CEO of the Premier League, stated that a date had been set but strangely refused to announce it.
One Rule for the Weak, Another for the Elite?
It's evident that the severity of the charges against City is entirely different from those against Everton and Forest, requiring much more time to resolve.
Some feel that these rules only apply to smaller and poorer clubs in the Premier League, while there is a different standard for elite clubs with vast financial resources and armies of lawyers.
Will the Relegation Battle End in Court?
These accusations will not be resolved soon, and even the seemingly "simple" cases involving Everton and Forest could extend until April or later, causing a significant problem in this season's English Premier League relegation battle.
No one will know their fate in the competition or relegation until the appeals are decided, and the worst part is that who gets relegated this season might be determined in a courtroom rather than on the field.
Financial Fair Play Rules Serve Big Clubs!
Everyone agrees on adhering to certain financial regulations, so if these rules are violated, penalties are necessary. Otherwise, the entire system may collapse, and reckless owners could lead clubs to bankruptcy.
However, it is impossible to dispel doubts about the time the English Premier League took to start implementing these rules.
The fact that Financial Fair Play rules are set to change in the next season has also increased frustration among Everton fans, who believe it shouldn't take three months to announce the outcome of their appeal.
Supporters of other clubs claim that these regulations make it impossible for smaller teams to spend the required money to compete with the "big six" in the Premier League.
A Catastrophic Situation!
The English Premier League argues that everything related to these matters has been dealt with as quickly as possible. However, cases like these must be handled in a more transparent and expeditious manner because the current situation is not good, causing a lot of confusion and uncertainty.
The current situation has become catastrophic for the English Premier League, with a significant number of club fans losing trust in the competition and its organizers.