Man City CEO warns charges battle will take 'a lot more time' after guilty verdict

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has warned that the club’s legal battle with the Premier League will take “a lot more time” to conclude, speaking publicly for the first time since City were found guilty of 114 of 115 charges of breaching the league’s financial rules.

Soriano made the remarks at a European Football Clubs board meeting in Copenhagen on Monday, addressing fellow club executives in the presence of Manchester United’s Jean-Claude Blanc and Everton owner Dan Friedkin — who attended in his capacity as owner of Roma. According to sources in the room, Soriano said he felt compelled to speak given Friday’s verdict, that City disagreed with the ruling but remained confident of winning, and that the club were still fighting. He then added: “It’s taken eight years to get here, and it’s going to take a lot more time.” The “eight years” referred to the opening of the Premier League’s investigation into City in 2018.

The verdict, which emerged on Friday, immediately sparked speculation about the unprecedented sanctions City could face. City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak responded on Saturday with an open letter to supporters, stating the club were “confident” of proving their innocence.

Among the charges City faced was an allegation of failing to provide full details of former manager Roberto Mancini’s pay between 2009-10 and 2012-13. Mancini, now back in charge of the Italian national team for a second stint, was asked about the matter at a press conference ahead of Italy’s Nations League match with Turkey in Bursa on Monday. “It’s not an issue that concerns me,” he said. “It’s nothing new because this matter has been discussed for the last four or five years. Manchester City has not been found guilty, and the alleged double contract is not my concern. It’s their issue, not mine.”

City were also charged with failing to report accurate financial information across nine seasons from 2009 — the year Mancini took over — and with failing to provide full details of player remuneration in contracts between 2010-11 and 2015-16. All charges were strenuously denied by the club throughout the process.

The Premier League has declined to comment since the verdict emerged, leaving City’s next legal steps and the timeline for any potential sanctions unclear. Soriano declined to answer media questions as he left the Copenhagen meeting.