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Man City CEO Soriano Defiant After Premier League Ruling

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Manchester City chief Ferran Soriano vows to fight after the club is found guilty of most of 115 Premier League charges. City will appeal.

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has delivered a defiant message to rival club executives after the Premier League found the club guilty of the majority of charges brought against it. Speaking at a European Football Clubs board meeting in Copenhagen, held before the body's general assembly on Tuesday, Soriano vowed to fight the findings and warned that the case still had far to go.

Soriano told the assembled executives that "it's taken eight years to get here and it's going to take a lot more time," according to the Press Association, a reference to the Premier League investigation that began in 2018. He then left the meeting without taking any questions from reporters. His remarks echoed a letter sent to supporters by City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

The verdict emerged on Friday, when it became clear the club had been found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges laid against it. The accusations covered a broad range of alleged rule breaches, centred on claims that City inflated sponsorship income from connected companies and made other "off the books" payments to get around financial regulations.

Sanctions have not yet been announced. Possible outcomes include a points deduction, expulsion from the top flight or a substantial fine. BBC Sport has been told City intend to appeal, while other Premier League clubs are seeking legal advice on compensation linked to the charges.

The meeting in Copenhagen was attended by senior figures from across European football. Among them were Manchester United's chief of international football relations Jean-Claude Blanc and Everton owner Dan Friedkin, who was present in his role as owner of Roma. European Football Clubs was formerly known as the ECA.

City have publicly stressed that the matter is far from settled. The club issued a statement saying the "Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality." The Premier League itself declined to comment.

Al Mubarak struck a similar note in his message to fans on Saturday, insisting the club remained sure of its case. "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.

The chairman said confidentiality rules prevented him from setting out the full basis for that confidence. "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."

Soriano has been Manchester City's chief executive since 2012. His public stance, alongside that of Al Mubarak, signals that the club is preparing for a prolonged legal battle rather than accepting the ruling. With an appeal planned and rival clubs weighing compensation claims, the dispute between Manchester City and the Premier League looks set to continue well beyond the initial finding of guilt.

Manchester City, Ferran Soriano, Premier League charges, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, 115 charges, financial rules, Premier League sanctions, Manchester City appeal

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