Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has referred to a 'Premier League conspiracy' in a video sent to staff after the club were found guilty of the charges brought against them. The club have been found, by an Independent Commission, to have arranged 'sham contracts' to inflate revenue over a nine-year period. Those actions are said to have seen City overstate their income by more than £820million from 2009 until 2018.
Club maintains innocence and plans appeal
City maintain their innocence and plan to appeal. They have until Friday 2 October to exercise that right. According to the Athletic, Soriano has stressed to club staff that they will explore all legal avenues available to win the case. Concerning the sponsorship issues raised, he claims that City provided 'irrefutable evidence'.
In raising a Premier League conspiracy, he suggests every claim against Manchester City comes from a 'completely false' accusation of disguised sponsorships.
Reporter confrontation and club statement
Following the revelations, Soriano was approached by Sky News for comment. "The Premier League confirms you cheated for nearly a decade, do you apologise to football fans?" said the reporter. "I have nothing to say," came the response. He then blanked questions about the club's confidence of winning on appeal and whether Manchester City are a sham of a club.
Soriano said: 'Thank you,' and walked away when asked if he had an obligation to send a message to football fans. Following the release of the Independent Commission's findings, City have expressed their surprise at the decision.
In a statement City said: "Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission, that has been published today. The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case. The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums."
Legal avenues and ongoing process
The statement continued: "The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe. The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence. The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete."
