Manchester City must be “judged by the facts” and “not by claims and counterclaims”, insists president Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
City, fresh from winning their fourth consecutive Premier League title, are still awaiting the outcome of 115 charges of alleged breaches of financial rules – allegations the club strongly denies – with a hearing scheduled for November.
If City were found guilty following that hearing, which is expected to last six weeks, they could face heavy fines and even the possibility of expulsion from the Premier League.
But Al Mubarek, although frustrated by the time it is taking City to have the chance to prove his innocence, wants his achievements on the field to focus on “facts” rather than “claims”.
“Of course, it’s frustrating,” he said.
Manchester City, winners of the 2022-23 treble, face 115 charges for breaches of FFP rules and regulations
‘I think the reference (to the alleged charges) is always frustrating. Let it be spoken the way it is spoken.
“I am sorry that our fan base and everyone associated with the club has constant references to these positions.
“I think we, as a club, have to respect that there is a process we have to go through, and we are going through it.
“It is taking longer than anyone expected, but it is what it is, and I have always repeated it, let us be judged by the facts, and not by claims and counterclaims.”
Al Mubarak spoke days before City declared war on the Premier League, demanding new financial rules from the competition to an unprecedented extent.
Furious city bosses submitted a 165-page legal document claiming they are victims of “discrimination” and that regulations passed by rivals they believe are aimed at limiting their success are the “tyranny of the majority.”
City say the league’s associated party transactions (APT) rules are illegal and are seeking to have them scrapped. They are also seeking damages that some say could run into the tens of millions.
Under the APT, introduced following Saudi Arabia’s takeover of Newcastle in 2021, clubs cannot inflate sponsorship deals with companies linked to their owners. Instead, all deals should be independently considered “fair market value” (FMV).
“I think the Premier League got to where it is today by being the most competitive league,” Al Mubarak continued.
‘So I hope there is a little more sensitivity in the regulation. A balanced approach is always good in all leagues, whether in England or the rest of Europe.
| Type of non-compliance | Number of charges related to non-compliance | trial date | Decision date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18 | 54 | ||
| Failure to provide accurate financial reporting for player and coach compensation from 2009-10 to 2017-18 | 14 | ||
| Failure to comply with UEFA regulations, including UEFA Club and Licensing Regulations and Financial Fair Play | 5 | Fall 2024 | Summer 2025 |
| Breaches of Premier League profitability and sustainability standards from 2015-16 up to and including the 2017-18 season | 7 | ||
| Failure to cooperate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 to present | 35 |
The city has already been investigated over its dealings between 2019 and 2023, where it was forced to pay an £8.6 million fine over the findings.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (second from left) with club owner Sheikh Mansour (right).
The charges include not being truthful about the compensation offered to previous managers when they left the club.
“I think we won’t see the same level that we’ve seen in recent years, because of the levels of regulations that have been implemented in the last 12 months.”
Al Mubarak’s frustrations also continue in the transfer market, where rules on loans and swap deals are an issue.
“There have also been a lot of restrictions placed on swaps and loans, so even that is now much more restricted,” he said.
“So I think the level of maneuverability that existed before that allowed teams to do what they could do in the past, I think is much more restricted this year and that will be reflected, I think, this summer.” .’