Manchester City announced Friday that it has appealed a verdict by an independent commission appointed by the Premier League that found the club guilty of “serious” financial breaches between 2009 and 2018, in a case that has sent shockwaves through English football.
“The club is innocent of the charges brought by the Premier League and a complete body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of its position in this matter,” the Emirati-owned club said in a statement, adding that the appeal was filed on Thursday evening.
The club is accused of artificially inflating its revenues and understating its costs by more than £900 million (over €1 billion), allegations that Manchester City rejects. The club said the decision contained “manifest and substantial errors of law, principle and fact.”
A sanction has yet to be imposed and no date has been given for the decision. The northern English club, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the United Arab Emirates’ ruling family, could face the loss of several titles and expulsion from the league in the most severe scenario.
Since coming under Emirati ownership, Manchester City have won eight Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.
The English Football Association responded for the first time on Friday, saying that Manchester City’s breaches of financial regulations had had “major consequences for the integrity” of football.
