Ferran Soriano conveys Man City’s defiant message to staff after guilty verdict

Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano has vowed to continue the club’s legal fight against the guilty verdict, insisting the commission’s findings are fundamentally flawed and pledging to pursue an appeal and other possible legal avenues.

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has delivered a defiant message to club employees after an independent commission found the Premier League champions guilty of serious financial-rule breaches spanning nine seasons.

The club has rejected the findings and maintain that the case against them is fundamentally flawed.

The verdict has not ended the long-running dispute. Manchester City have until Friday, October 2, to appeal, while the question of sanctions will be dealt with separately. Soriano has promised that the club will continue its legal fight and could pursue further avenues if necessary.

Case based on a ‘false accusation’

Soriano told City staff that the Premier League’s case rests on what he described as one false accusation: that money belonging personally to the club’s owner was secretly channelled into Manchester City through Abu Dhabi sponsors. City disputes that allegation.

Sponsorship money ‘not from owner’

The City chief executive insisted that sponsorship income was not secretly funded by Sheikh Mansour. He said the club supplied evidence, including bank statements, money transfers and witness testimony, which City believes demonstrates that owner money was not improperly used.

‘Irrefutable evidence’ provided

Soriano repeated City’s long-standing claim that it presented extensive evidence supporting its position. The club’s official response similarly said it possessed a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” and argued that the commission’s conclusions contained errors of law, principle and fact.

Premier League ‘conspiracy theory’

Soriano described the Premier League’s case as a “conspiracy theory”, strongly rejecting the commission’s conclusions. The language reflects City’s combative response to a ruling that found the club guilty of virtually all the financial breaches brought against it.

Extensive evidence ‘ignored’

City believes evidence submitted during the process was not properly reflected in the commission’s conclusions. Soriano’s position echoes the club’s previous disputes with financial investigations, when he argued that evidence supplied by City had been given insufficient weight.

Conclusion ‘clearly wrong’

Soriano considers the commission’s conclusions fundamentally incorrect. City’s formal response described the opinion as containing “clear material errors” and argued that it was unsafe, while the Premier League said the independent commission had established serious breaches of its rules.

Appeal will be filed

Manchester City intend to appeal the commission’s findings. The Premier League confirmed that the club has until Friday, October 2, to exercise its appeal right, meaning Tuesday’s verdict is not necessarily the final stage of the legal dispute.

‘We have been here before’

Soriano’s message reflects City’s previous experience fighting football authorities. In 2020, UEFA imposed a two-year European competition ban on the club before the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned it on appeal. Soriano has previously pointed to that episode when discussing City’s approach to legal challenges.

‘We will be relentless’

The club has promised an aggressive legal response. City said it would be “relentless” and, where necessary, proactive across appropriate regulatory and legal forums. Soriano has also indicated that the dispute could continue for years before reaching a definitive conclusion.

‘Other legal avenues’ will be explored

City’s response goes beyond the immediate appeal. Soriano indicated that the club will consider other regulatory and legal routes as the process develops, particularly if it believes its position has not been properly addressed through the Premier League’s appeal procedure.

City will ‘seek compensation’ for damages

Soriano has also signalled that Manchester City could seek compensation over damage it believes has resulted from the case. The club has consistently argued that the allegations have harmed its reputation, although any future compensation claim would form a separate legal issue from the Premier League proceedings.

‘We will look back’ on overcoming adversity

Soriano ended on a message of resilience, portraying the dispute as another major challenge in Manchester City’s history. He has previously told supporters that the club has faced difficult periods before and would remain united while pursuing its case.