Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has insisted the club remains confident of proving its innocence despite reports that the club has been found guilty of 114 financial charges.
Al Mubarak gave the assurance in an open letter to City supporters on Saturday, following reports that an independent commission had found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 charges relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.
The Premier League process remains ongoing, with sanctions yet to be determined, while City are expected to appeal the commission’s decision.
Al Mubarak, who has been part of the club for 18 years, acknowledged that the latest development had generated questions among supporters but said City’s confidence has not wavered.
“Here’s what I said to my family: 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,” he wrote.
He said there were many details the club would love to share with supporters to explain why it feels confident in its position, but the strict confidentiality of the legal process prevents it from doing so.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
The chairman urged supporters to carefully read the club’s statements issued on Friday and in February 2023, saying “every word matters and holds true.”
On Friday, the club had stated that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with “significant elements” still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.
Manchester City have always denied any wrongdoing and have maintained that they have irrefutable evidence to defend themselves.
The charges relate to alleged breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018 and include failure to provide accurate financial information.
A final decision on sanctions is still pending, with City expected to challenge the reported verdict through an appeal.
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