The Man City CEO has delivered a defiant message to executives from across European football after City were found guilty of a majority of the Premier League’s financial charges against them.
Ferran Soriano reportedly told fellow football executives that City would continue to fight the findings and stressed that the legal process is far from over.
The comments came during a board meeting of European Football Clubs, formerly known as the European Club Association, in Copenhagen ahead of its general assembly.
City are now facing an uncertain period after an independent commission found them guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League following a lengthy investigation.
The club has denied wrongdoing throughout the case and is expected to appeal the findings.
Man City CEO Ferran Soriano insists the fight is not over
Soriano’s message reflects the position Manchester City have maintained since the charges were first announced in February 2023.
The Premier League accused the club of breaching financial regulations over a nine-year period, with allegations covering sponsorship revenue, player and manager payments, financial reporting and cooperation with the league’s investigation.
At the centre of the case were claims that City had provided inaccurate financial information and had used connected-party sponsorship arrangements in ways that breached the competition’s rules.
After years of investigation and legal proceedings, the independent commission finally reached its conclusions. The outcome has not, however, brought an end to the dispute.
BBC Sport has been told that City will appeal against the findings, while the Premier League has yet to announce the sanctions that will follow.
That means the 115 charges case remains unresolved in practical terms, despite the commission’s verdict.
Soriano’s comments appear designed to reinforce City’s position that the club will continue to challenge the findings rather than accept them as the final word.
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak struck a similar tone in a letter to supporters on Saturday.
Al Mubarak said the club remained confident it could prove its innocence and insisted that the Premier League process “still has a long way to run”.
He also explained that City could not publicly disclose more details about their position because of the confidentiality surrounding the legal proceedings.
The chairman’s comments underline the club’s intention to pursue the matter through the available appeal process.
What could happen after the 115 charges verdict?
While City prepare to challenge the findings, attention has increasingly turned towards the potential punishment.
The Premier League has not announced the sanctions imposed following the commission’s decision, and the league has declined to comment publicly on the matter.
Possible consequences could include a points deduction, a substantial financial penalty or, in the most severe scenario, expulsion from the Premier League.
The scale of any punishment will depend on the findings and the league’s disciplinary process, while an appeal could further delay a final resolution.
The situation has also created another potential legal issue involving other Premier League clubs.
A number of clubs have already sought legal advice about whether they could pursue compensation in connection with Manchester City’s alleged breaches.
That development could significantly widen the consequences of the case if clubs believe they suffered financial losses as a result of City’s conduct.
The issue has already attracted comparisons with the dispute involving Everton and Burnley over Profitability and Sustainability Rules. Everton were ordered to pay Burnley £35m after being found to have breached the Premier League’s financial regulations, although Everton have appealed that decision.
The circumstances surrounding the City case are different, but the dispute demonstrates how financial-rule breaches can potentially create consequences beyond sporting sanctions.
City maintain confidence despite guilty verdict
For Manchester City, the immediate priority will be the appeal and the next stages of the Premier League process.
The club has consistently rejected the allegations and has previously insisted that its case is supported by what it described as a comprehensive body of evidence.
That position has not changed following the commission’s verdict.
A statement from City after the findings said the Premier League process remained ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.
The message from Man City CEO in Copenhagen therefore fits into the wider stance adopted by the club’s leadership.
City are not treating the verdict as the conclusion of the matter.
Instead, the club intends to challenge the findings while awaiting confirmation of the sanctions and preparing for the appeal process.
For the Premier League and its clubs, however, the verdict has opened a new chapter in one of the most significant financial disputes in English football.
The outcome of the appeal, the eventual sanctions and any potential compensation claims could determine how the 115 charges case affects Manchester City and the wider Premier League for years to come.
