Manchester City breaks silence after decision: "There are many things we can't say"

Manchester City have been embroiled in a storm following the decision regarding the procedure that sees the club accused of 115 financial offences following allegations made by the Premier League. The process will go to the appeal stage and so Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has released a statement in which he announces that “the Premier League procedure still has a long way to go and our confidence and determination to prove the Club’s innocence is as strong as it was at the beginning”. 

The statement reads the club's entire desire to shed light on the matter, trying to convey confidence to the entire environment and remove any concerns about the sanctions, and says: "There is much that I would like to share with you to help you understand why we are so confident in our position. But the strict confidentiality of the legal procedure and our determination to respect it prevent me from doing so at the moment. This letter has also been subjected to several legal checks to ensure its compliance". Now it will go to appeal, but it is clear that everyone is wondering what will happen to Manchester City. It is about fines to penalties in the standings, but also exclusion from the championship.

The investigation covered a period from the 2009/10 to 2022/23 seasons, during which the club won 20 trophies, including four consecutive championships. Among the various accusations, there are also those related to the presentation of inaccurate financial information, the violation of parameters related to Financial Fair Play, as well as the manipulation of sponsorship contracts, in addition to the failure to declare payments to several players and more. At this moment it is not clear what the Premier League will decide, but it is certainly an issue that will arouse discussions, given that it is a prestigious, historic club and certainly among the richest in the English championship. 

According to Premier League regulations, the punishment could consist of a penalty in the standings, a fine or even expulsion from the championship. Any scenario is possible, although the Premier League does not foresee sanctions defined in advance for violations of financial regulations. So everything remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Manchester City tries to calm its fans in some way: "Although some have rushed to draw their conclusions and there is a lot of noise around us, nothing has changed. We have already faced challenges together and emerged victorious from them. There are still many who want to damage the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity."