Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has signaled that the club is prepared for an extended legal battle to clear its name. During a meeting of the European Football Clubs (EFC) board on Monday, Soriano insisted on the club’s innocence despite reports that an independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League for alleged breaches of financial regulations.
Soriano addressed the board at the beginning of the session, expressing his firm disagreement with the commission’s ruling and stating his confidence that the club will eventually prevail. He noted that although eight years have passed since the initial allegations of financial misconduct surfaced, the resolution of this case could still take a significant amount of time.
The meeting included high-profile figures from domestic rivals, such as Ineos Sport head and Manchester United representative Jean-Claude Blanc, along with Everton owner Dan Friedkin. Soriano’s decision to address the verdict—which has yet to be officially confirmed by either the club or the Premier League—caught several board members by surprise. The executive declined to provide further comments to the press following the meeting.
Meanwhile, mounting uncertainty regarding the timeline of the proceedings is fueling frustration among other Premier League clubs. Although top executives were provided with a general summary of the commission’s findings last Thursday, the lack of a public verdict has left teams in the dark. One club official remarked on the situation, stating, “All we have is a void, and it would be better for everyone if it was filled as soon as possible.” The Premier League has not provided any official information regarding when the full judgment will be released.
