Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has assured the club’s supporters that its confidence in proving its innocence remains unchanged despite the reported guilty verdict on 114 financial charges brought by the Premier League.
Al Mubarak gave the assurance in an open letter to City supporters on Saturday, following reports that an independent commission had found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 charges relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.
The Premier League process remains ongoing, with sanctions yet to be determined, while City are expected to appeal the commission’s decision.
Al Mubarak, who said he had been part of the club for 18 years, acknowledged that the latest development had generated questions among supporters but insisted that City remained confident in its position.
“Here’s what I said to my family: 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 wrote.
The chairman said there were details the club would like to share with supporters to explain its position but noted that the confidentiality of the legal process prevented it from doing so.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he said.
He urged supporters to carefully read the club’s statements issued on Friday and in February 2023, saying “every word matters and holds true.”
The club had stated on Friday that the Premier League process remained ongoing, with “significant elements” still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.
City also reiterated its position that it had respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League’s board and executive would act as an “independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
The club has consistently denied wrongdoing since the Premier League referred the case to an independent commission in February 2023.
The charges relate to alleged breaches between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons and include accusations concerning the provision of accurate financial information, player and manager payments, Financial Fair Play regulations, profitability and sustainability rules, and alleged failures to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation.
The case followed investigations into City’s finances that began after allegations published in 2018. UEFA had also previously sanctioned the club over Financial Fair Play breaches in 2020, imposing a €30m fine and a two-season European competition ban, although the Court of Arbitration for Sport later overturned the ban and reduced the fine to €10m.
Al Mubarak said the club would not allow what he described as attempts to undermine City’s progress to distract it.
“While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed.
“We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity,” he said.
The chairman also looked ahead to City’s upcoming fixtures, saying the club had “some exciting moments” to anticipate after the international break, including a trip to Anfield and a Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium.
The commission’s reported guilty findings do not automatically mean City will be deducted points or expelled from the Premier League. Possible sanctions include a points deduction, fine, suspension from league matches, player-registration restrictions, compensation and, in certain circumstances, expulsion from the league. The appropriate punishment is yet to be determined and can be challenged through the Premier League’s appeal process.
Al Mubarak ended his letter by thanking supporters for their continued backing.
“Thank you, as always, for your constant support,” he said.
