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09/26 10:26 CDT Man City chairman asserts club's innocence over Premier League
charges, says still 'long way to run'
Man City chairman asserts club's innocence over Premier League charges, says
still 'long way to run'
By JAMES ROBSON
AP Soccer Writer
MANCHESTER, England (AP) --- Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak
issued a direct message to supporters Saturday as the club faces the potential
of losing its landmark case with the Premier League over alleged financial
breaches.
City has reportedly been found guilty of nearly all of the 100-plus charges
against the club, which could result punishments such as a huge points
deduction or even expulsion from English soccer's top division.
The club has always denied wrongdoing and Al Mubarak restated that stance in a
letter to fans.
"The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and
intent in proving the club's innocence is just as strong as when this began,"
he wrote.
"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."
Confidentiality conditions, he said, prevented him from revealing that
information.
"While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is
so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed," Al Mubarak said. "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."
The Premier League accused City in February 2023 of providing misleading
information about its finances over a nine-year period from 2009-18.
Questions about the Abu Dhabi-backed club's financial dealings have hung over
City after supposed leaked emails and documents, likely hacked, were published
starting in 2018 by German magazine Der Spiegel. The documents allegedly showed
City tried to mask the source of revenue from deals tied to Abu Dhabi, whose
ruling family bought the club in 2008 and has overseen the spending of hundreds
of millions of dollars on some of the world's best players over the following
two decades.
In 2020, UEFA ruled City had committed "serious breaches" of Financial Fair
Play regulations from 2012-16. But a two-year ban was later overturned by the
Court of Arbitration for Sport because allegations were either rejected or
found to have happened too long ago to be investigated.
The Premier League's case, which accused City of more than 100 breaches
including providing misleading information about its finances and failure to
co-operate with the investigation, has run for more than three years.
City has been the most dominant team in England over the last 15 years, winning
eight Premier League titles since 2012 as well as the Champions League in 2023.
Over the period in question --- 2009-18 --- City won the league three times, in
2012, 2014 and 2018.
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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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See AP's full soccer coverage here
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