Manchester City chief executive, Ferran Soriano, has told executives of other clubs that the Premier League’s case against the club is far from over, insisting that City will continue to fight the charges against them.
Soriano made the remarks at a board meeting of European Football Clubs in Copenhagen ahead of its general assembly on Tuesday, following the revelation that Manchester City had been found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.
According to a report by the Press Association, Soriano told fellow executives, “it’s taken eight years to get here and it’s going to take a lot more time”, referring to the Premier League investigation, which began in 2018.
The City chief executive reportedly left the meeting without responding to questions from journalists.
Manchester United chief of international football relations Jean-Claude Blanc and Everton owner Dan Friedkin, attending in his capacity as owner of Roma, were also among those present.
Manchester City have been accused of a wide range of financial rule breaches, including allegedly inflating sponsorship revenue from connected companies and making payments outside the club’s official accounts to circumvent financial regulations.
The Premier League has yet to announce sanctions, while the possible punishments include a points deduction, expulsion from the top flight or a substantial fine.
BBC Sport also reports that City intend to appeal the findings, while Premier League clubs are seeking legal advice over possible compensation.
Manchester City said in a statement that the “Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality”.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak had earlier told supporters that he remained confident the club would establish its innocence.
“The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” he said.
“There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position.
“But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies.”
