Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano vows to fight 115 Premier League charges as club faces sanctions
Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano told European club executives in Copenhagen that City will fight the Premier League charges and the process has a long way to run, BBC Sport has been told. The club were found guilty of the vast majority of 115 charges on Friday and will appeal.
- What happened: City were found guilty of the vast majority of 115 Premier League charges on Friday.
- Where: Soriano spoke at a European Football Clubs board meeting in Copenhagen before Tuesday's general assembly.
- What Soriano said: "It's taken eight years to get here and it's going to take a lot more time," according to the Press Association.
- What City say: The Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed and is subject to strict confidentiality.
- What's at stake: Sanctions could include a points deduction, expulsion from the top flight or a huge fine.
What was said
"It's taken eight years to get here and it's going to take a lot more time."
Soriano's message was defiant: he vowed to fight the charges and stressed that the process had a long way to run. He then left the meeting without answering any questions from the media. His words echo what City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak told fans in a letter.
"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."
"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. 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."
City also released a statement saying the "Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality". The Premier League has declined to comment. The combination of Soriano's private defiance and Al Mubarak's public letter shows City intend to contest every element rather than accept a swift resolution.
Who was in the room
Soriano was speaking at a board meeting of European Football Clubs — formerly the ECA — in Copenhagen before its general assembly on Tuesday. The Press Association reported that Manchester United's chief of international football relations Jean-Claude Blanc and Everton owner Dan Friedkin, there in his capacity as owner of Roma, were among those to attend.
The charges and the finding
City were accused of a wide range of rule breaches, centring on claims they inflated sponsorship revenue from connected companies and made other "off the books" payments to circumvent financial regulations.
On Friday, it emerged they had been found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges brought against them. Premier League clubs are seeking legal advice about compensation relating to the charges, while BBC Sport has been told City will appeal.
Sanctions are yet to be announced, but repercussions could include a points deduction, expulsion from the top flight or a huge fine. The Premier League has declined to comment.
The numbers
- 115: the number of charges brought against Manchester City.
- Eight years: the period since the Premier League's investigation began in 2018, as cited by Soriano.
- Vast majority: the proportion of charges City were found guilty of on Friday.
Why City are digging in rather than settling
The timing of Soriano's intervention is telling. Speaking to rival executives before a general assembly, he chose to frame the case as a long legal war rather than a closed matter. The phrase "it's taken eight years to get here and it's going to take a lot more time" is not an apology; it is a signal that City believe the appeal process will run well beyond the current season.
That matters because sanctions are yet to be announced. If the eventual punishment includes a points deduction or expulsion from the top flight, City's appeal strategy becomes the difference between a bad season and an existential one. By refusing to take questions from the media, Soriano avoided creating fresh headlines while still delivering a message to the clubs who may seek compensation.
The presence of Jean-Claude Blanc of Manchester United and Dan Friedkin, owner of Everton and Roma, underlines the political dimension. Premier League clubs are already seeking legal advice about compensation. Soriano was effectively addressing his accusers in the room, not just the media outside it. City's public position, repeated by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, is that confidentiality prevents a fuller defence — a stance that frustrates rivals who want transparency.
Talking points
- City's appeal could drag the case beyond the current season, leaving the Premier League table and European qualification in limbo for months.
- Rival clubs seeking compensation will watch Soriano's defiant stance and wonder whether a negotiated settlement was ever realistically on the table.
- If sanctions include a points deduction or expulsion, City's eight-year defensive strategy will be tested against a legal process they say has "a long way to run".
- Soriano left without answering questions, so the most pointed questions about the 115 charges remain unanswered publicly.
What happens next
City will appeal against the finding that they were guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges. Sanctions are yet to be announced, and the Premier League has declined to comment. Premier League clubs are seeking legal advice about compensation. The European Football Clubs general assembly took place on Tuesday after Soriano's board meeting appearance.
Frequently asked questions
What did Ferran Soriano say about the 115 charges?
According to the Press Association, Soriano told European club executives "it's taken eight years to get here and it's going to take a lot more time", vowing to fight the charges and saying the process had a long way to run.
How many charges were Manchester City found guilty of?
On Friday, it emerged City had been found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges brought against them.
Will Manchester City appeal the Premier League charges?
Yes. BBC Sport has been told City will appeal, and City's statement said the Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.
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