Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has vowed that the club will continue fighting the Premier League’s findings after being found guilty of 114 out of 115 financial charges.
The case, which has taken several years to reach its current stage, is now moving towards the sanctions phase, with an independent commission expected to determine the punishment to be imposed on the English champions.
Speaking at a board meeting of European Football Clubs in Copenhagen, Soriano reportedly told executives from other European clubs that Manchester City strongly disagreed with the commission’s findings and intended to challenge the decision.
According to The Times, Soriano indicated that the club would pursue every available avenue to overturn the findings, including an appeal and potentially further legal action.
The City chief executive reportedly said the proceedings had already taken eight years and suggested that the dispute could continue for considerably longer.
The independent commission is expected to conduct a sanctions hearing in the coming weeks. The Premier League will have the opportunity to recommend a punishment based on the findings.
Several sanctions could be considered, including a financial penalty, transfer restrictions or a points deduction. In the most severe scenario, Manchester City could face expulsion from the Premier League.
The possibility of a points deduction has already generated debate over whether a sufficiently large penalty could have an impact on City’s Premier League status.
Manchester City are also expected to challenge any punishment eventually imposed by the commission.
The club could potentially refer to the Premier League’s recent proceedings involving Chelsea as part of its defence, although the circumstances and findings in the two cases would have to be considered separately.
For now, Manchester City’s immediate focus is on the forthcoming sanctions hearing, while the club maintains its opposition to the commission’s findings and prepares for another potential legal battle.
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