Manchester City CEO brands Premier League verdict a 'conspiracy theory' in leaked staff video
Ferran Soriano has hit out at the ruling that found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to breaking the Premier League's financial rules. In a video sent to staff, the chief executive insisted the entire case rests on a single false accusation and confirmed the club will appeal. City have until Friday to lodge their challenge.
ByInfoBlaugrana
4 min read
Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has described the verdict that found the club guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules as a 'conspiracy theory'. Speaking in an internal video sent to staff, the executive maintained the club's innocence and said the case was built on one false accusation. He also confirmed that City's lawyers will appeal the ruling.
- Ferran Soriano calls the independent commission's verdict a 'conspiracy theory' in a leaked staff video.
- The commission ruled that City overstated its income by more than £830m over nine years and arranged sham commercial deals.
- Soriano says bank statements, money transfers and witnesses prove the owner's money never entered the club through sponsors.
- Manchester City have until Friday 2 October to submit their appeal.
- Sanctions have yet to be applied.
Ferran Soriano's response to the Premier League ruling
Soriano delivered his message in a video sent to Manchester City employees. In the recording, the chief executive insisted the Premier League's entire case rests on a single premise: the claim that the owner's personal money was secretly funnelled into the club through sponsors from Abu Dhabi.
He argued that the accusation is simply not true and that irrefutable evidence was provided to the commission showing the money could not have come from the owner. The material handed over included bank statements, money transfers and witnesses, all of which he says categorically demonstrate the funds did not originate from the owner.
"Surprisingly for us and our lawyers after nearly two years the commission has issued an opinion that supports the Premier League's conspiracy theory."
What the independent commission found in City's accounts
The judgement, published on Tuesday, states that Manchester City overstated its income by more than £830m over the nine-year period covered by the investigation. The commission also found that the club arranged sham commercial deals with a number of sponsors and strongly criticised witnesses who gave evidence they knew to be untrue.
Manchester City's grounds for challenging the decision
Soriano explained that every other charge against the club stems from what he described as a simple, central and completely false accusation. He said the commission had to ignore extensive evidence provided by City to reach a conclusion that is clearly wrong, and that the ruling is therefore unsafe.
The appeal process and deadline facing City
Manchester City have until Friday 2 October to file their appeal against the verdict. Soriano said the club's lawyers will argue that the opinion contains clear material errors of law, principle and fact. The challenge sets up the next stage in a process that has already run for nearly two years.
What sanctions Manchester City could still face
Although the guilty verdict has been delivered, sanctions have not yet been applied. The appeal announced by Soriano keeps the case open and leaves the Premier League champions awaiting the next move in a dispute that carries major sporting and financial implications for English football.
Frequently asked questions about the Manchester City verdict
Frequently asked questions
Why was Manchester City found guilty by the Premier League?
An independent commission ruled that the club broke financial rules by overstating its income by more than £830m across nine years. It also found that City arranged sham commercial deals with several sponsors and that some witnesses gave dishonest evidence during the hearing.
What did Ferran Soriano say about the verdict?
The Manchester City chief executive called the ruling a 'conspiracy theory' and insisted the club is innocent. He says the case was built on one false accusation and that bank statements, transfers and witnesses prove the owner's money never entered the club through sponsors.
When is Manchester City's appeal deadline?
City have until Friday 2 October to submit their appeal. Their lawyers will argue the judgement contains clear material errors of law, principle and fact, and that the ruling is unsafe. No sanctions have been applied yet.