An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of serious Premier League financial charges on Tuesday. It concluded that sponsorship arrangements inflated revenue and reduced costs by more than £900m.
The ruling covers all charges relating to serious financial breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. However, the commission will decide sanctions at a separate hearing.
According to its findings, sponsors paid only part of the fees specified in commercial contracts. Abu Dhabi United Group Investment + Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned City.
The commission concluded that these arrangements concealed the funding’s origin. City denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal. Chief executive Ferran Soriano called the decision a “Premier League conspiracy theory” in a video message to employees.
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Soriano rejected the finding that owner funds had secretly reached the club through sponsors. He said City supplied bank statements, transfer records and witness evidence demonstrating that this had not happened.
Meanwhile, the commission also found that City failed to cooperate with the investigation, which began in December 2018. It concluded that the club had sought to obstruct the inquiries.
Possible sanctions include financial penalties, points deductions and the removal of titles. None has been imposed through this decision.
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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the ruling justified the league’s decision to pursue the case. He called for the remaining proceedings to move quickly so clubs and supporters could have certainty.
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City have until Friday to submit their appeal. A commission found City guilty of serious financial breaches involving more than £900m in inflated revenue and reduced costs; the club will appeal.
