Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano says the club’s legal battle with the Premier League over its financial charges will take ‘a lot more time’ to conclude.
Soriano made the comments on Monday while speaking at a board meeting of the European Football Clubs (EFC), formerly the European Club Association, in Copenhagen ahead of the organisation’s general assembly.
According to the Press Association, Soriano told fellow executives, ‘It’s taken eight years to get here, and it’s going to take a lot more time,’ referring to the Premier League investigation, which began in 2018.
His comments came days after reports emerged that an independent panel had found Manchester City guilty of all but one of the 115 financial-rule charges brought against the club. Sanctions have yet to be determined, while City are expected to appeal the findings.
The charges relate to alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018, including claims that City failed to provide accurate financial information, failed to provide accurate details concerning player and manager payments, breached UEFA financial regulations and failed to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation.
The Premier League has not commented on the reported verdict. City also stopped short of confirming or denying the reports, insisting that the process remains ongoing and subject to confidentiality.
‘The Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality,’ the club said in a statement.