Man City chairman confident club will prove innocence — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Khaldoon Al Mubarak wrote to fans insisting the club would prove its innocence, saying 'our confidence and intent in proving the club's innocence is just as strong as when this began,' despite being legally barred from sharing details.
- The 115 charges center on claims Manchester City inflated sponsorship revenue from connected companies and made undisclosed 'off the books' payments to circumvent financial regulations.
- Manchester City will appeal the verdict; possible sanctions include a points deduction, Premier League expulsion, or a massive fine, though none have been announced.
- Four clubs have already lodged protective compensation claims, and former Liverpool MD Christian Purslow warned that liability claims from all 19 rivals across nine seasons could 'spiral out of control' — each Premier League place worth roughly £3m.
- Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called the situation 'very unsettling for football fans' and urged the Premier League to resolve it swiftly.
- Former City chairman David Bernstein said punishment would have to be 'more drastic than a fine,' while City fan Noel Gallagher said he was 'shocked' after years of club assurances that charges were vehemently denied.
- The verdict landed 1,327 days after charges were filed in February 2023 and 22 months after the independent commission hearing concluded, with the Premier League itself declining to comment.
Why it matters: City could owe compensation to rival clubs across nine trophy-laden seasons if the verdict and any appeal stand — a precedent Purslow says could unleash claims from all 19 Premier League rivals, each Premier League place valued at roughly £3m, making this the most consequential financial ruling in English football history.
Ask SkimNews
