A number of Premier League clubs are pushing for the Manchester City verdict to be published as soon as possible, with the club digging in for a long battle to clear their name. City’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano, told a meeting of the European Football Clubs board on Monday that they will fight to prove their innocence after being found guilty by an independent commission of the vast majority of the Premier League’s 115 charges of breaching financial rules. Soriano’s willingness to address the guilty verdict against City, which first emerged on Friday but has yet to be confirmed publicly by the club or the Premier League, was a surprise to other members of the EFC board, which includes two domestic rivals in Jean-Claude Blanc, the head of Ineos Sport and chief of international football relations at Manchester United, and the Everton owner, Dan Friedkin.
Soriano is understood to have addressed the board at the start of the meeting by requesting permission to make a brief statement. The Spaniard said that he wanted to make it clear that he disagreed with the ruling of the commission, and that he and City were confident of eventually winning their battle. He also added that while it had been eight years since the allegations of financial misconduct were first made against City, it could take considerably more time for a definitive conclusion to the saga.
The ongoing delay is a growing source of frustration to other clubs, who remain in the dark over the details of the case and the likely timeframe of any resolution. While club executives received a broad outline of the independent commission’s findings against City last Thursday there has been no update since, and the verdict has yet to be published. One club source said on Monday: “All we have is a void, and it would be better for everyone if it was filled as soon as possible.” Soriano declined to comment when approached by reporters after the EFC board meeting.
The Premier League has not commented or provided any indication of when the judgment will be published.
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