Man City chairman insists club will prove innocence after 115-charge verdict reports

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has publicly insisted the club remain confident of proving their innocence, after media reports emerged on Friday claiming a verdict had been reached finding them guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League. No official statement confirming that outcome has been released.

Al Mubarak broke his silence on Saturday afternoon with a letter published on the club’s website, addressing supporters directly and urging them not to draw conclusions from the media coverage.

“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 acknowledged the confidentiality constraints limiting what he could say publicly. “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 wrote. “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.”

Al Mubarak, who has been at the club for 18 years, referenced City’s previous statement from February 2023 and asked supporters to read both carefully, stressing that “every word matters and holds true.”

He also pushed back against what he described as attempts to destabilise the club. “While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity.”

The charges against Manchester City relate to alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules over a period spanning more than a decade. The independent commission hearing the case has been one of the most significant and closely watched proceedings in English football history.

City’s next Premier League fixture takes them to Anfield, with a Champions League home tie against Paris Saint-Germain to follow.