Key facts
- Everton is appealing a ruling ordering it to pay Burnley over £35 million ($47 million) in compensation.
- The ruling found Everton's financial rule breaches caused Burnley's 2022 Premier League relegation.
- Everton disputes the commission's finding that its breaches denied Burnley a fair chance to avoid relegation.
- The club stated the ruling is fundamentally flawed and sets a dangerous precedent for English football.
- Everton previously received a six-point deduction for financial mismanagement in the 2021-22 season.
Everton has announced an appeal against a ruling that requires them to pay over £35 million ($47 million) to Burnley following a legal dispute over the latter's 2022 Premier League relegation. The club expressed surprise and anger at the decision from a Premier League independent disciplinary commission.
Everton stated that the ruling is fundamentally flawed and does not recognize the commission's determination that its breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules provided Burnley with a substantive sporting advantage. The club believes this sets a dangerous precedent, as it implies a club can be in breach of financial rules at any point within a financial year. Everton asserts that the panel misrepresented the evidence presented by its legal team and expects a successful appeal.
Burnley's argument centered on the 'loss of chance' principle, contending that if Everton's punishment had been applied during the season it occurred, Everton would have been relegated instead of Burnley. Everton finished the 2021-22 season in 16th place, four points above Burnley.
This follows Everton's prior sanction of a 10-point deduction for breaching profitability and sustainability rules in 2021-22, which was later reduced to six points on appeal.