Man City CEO Says Battle With Premier League Could Take Years to Finish

Manchester City’s fight with the Premier League over serious financial rule breaches looks set to drag on for years, according to the club’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano.

Soriano shared this at a private meeting with other European football club executives in Copenhagen. He mentioned that the allegations against City first surfaced eight years ago and stressed that the club is determined to keep fighting the case. Although he didn’t comment directly on recent reports, he made it clear the dispute isn’t close to ending.

The Premier League has accused Manchester City of breaking financial fair play rules in a case involving over 100 charges dating back to 2009. Reports say an independent tribunal has found City guilty on nearly all these charges, but the league has not officially confirmed this. Manchester City denies any wrongdoing and says it has strong evidence to prove its innocence.

The club’s chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, recently said the legal process still has a long way to go and reaffirmed their confidence in eventually clearing the club’s name. The next steps will likely include an appeal, which must be lodged within 14 days of the tribunal’s decision, followed by a separate phase to decide any punishment.

So far, no sanctions have been announced, and it remains unclear how severe any penalties might be if City’s appeal fails. The case has already cast a shadow over the club and its current team, with major consequences possible depending on how it unfolds.

This dispute has deep roots, going back to UEFA investigations and previous fines related to financial fair play breaches. City’s owners have consistently rejected the claims and are prepared to continue the legal battle as long as it takes.