Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reassured the club’s fans that their confidence in clearing the club’s name remains unshaken, despite the reported guilty verdict on 114 financial charges filed by the Premier League.
Al Mubarak offered this reassurance in an open letter to City supporters on Saturday, after reports emerged that an independent commission had found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 charges concerning alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.
The Premier League proceedings are still underway, with sanctions not yet decided, and City are anticipated to appeal the commission’s ruling.
Al Mubarak, who noted he has been with the club for 18 years, admitted that the recent development had raised questions among supporters, yet he maintained that City remains confident in its position.
“Here’s what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence are just as strong as when this began,” he wrote.
The chairman stated that there were details the club would like to share with supporters to explain its position but noted that the confidentiality of the legal process prevented it from doing so.
“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 said.
“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,” he said.
He called on supporters to read the club’s statements from Friday and from February 2023 closely, noting that “every word matters and holds true.”
On Friday, the club said the Premier League process was still ongoing, with “significant elements” yet to be concluded and bound by strict confidentiality.
City also restated its view that it had honored due process for eight years, on the grounds that the Premier League’s board and executive would serve as an “independent, impartial, and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
Since the Premier League referred the case to an independent commission in February 2023, the club has continually denied any wrongdoing.
The charges concern alleged breaches spanning the 2009/10 to 2017/18 seasons, covering accusations about the provision of accurate financial information, payments to players and managers, Financial Fair Play regulations, profitability and sustainability rules, and alleged failures to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation.
The case arose from investigations into the city’s finances that started after allegations were published in 2018. UEFA had also penalized the club previously for Financial Fair Play breaches in 2020, handing down a €30m fine and a two-season ban from European competition, though the Court of Arbitration for Sport later overturned the ban and cut the fine to €10m.
Al Mubarak stated that the club would not let what he characterized as efforts to undermine City’s progress become a distraction.
“While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed.
“We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our club. We will not give them that opportunity,” he said.
The chairman also turned his attention to City’s forthcoming matches, noting that the club had “some exciting moments” in store following the international break, among them a visit to Anfield and a Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium.
The guilty findings reported by the commission do not by themselves mean City will lose points or be removed from the Premier League. Sanctions that could be imposed include a points deduction, a fine, a ban from league matches, restrictions on registering players, compensation, and, under certain conditions, expulsion from the league.
The suitable punishment has not yet been decided and may be contested via the Premier League’s appeals process.
Al Mubarak closed his letter by expressing gratitude to the fans for their ongoing support.
“Thank you, as always, for your constant support,” he said.
