Manchester City breaks silence on 115 charges, hours after clashing with Premier League

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has addressed the 115 charges brought against the club for alleged breaches of financial fair play (FFP) regulations. This statement comes shortly after City filed a lawsuit against the Premier League, claiming “discrimination” related to the Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules.

City maintains its innocence regarding all charges, but the accusations have cast a shadow over the accomplishments of manager Pep Guardiola. “Of course, it’s frustrating. The constant references to these charges are always frustrating,” Khaldoon expressed to City’s internal media team. He empathized with the fans and everyone linked to the club who have to deal with these allegations being repeatedly mentioned.

Khaldoon emphasized the importance of due process, acknowledging that the investigation is taking longer than anticipated but insisting on judgment based on facts rather than speculation.

The interview with Khaldoon took place before City escalated the dispute with the Premier League over the legality of the APT rules. A hearing scheduled for June 10-21 will decide whether the club’s sponsorship deals are financially fair. City argues that an independent commission should not be involved in evaluating these deals. A victory for City could allow the club, owned by the UAE’s vice president, to receive substantial financial support from Gulf-based companies associated with the royal family.

The 115 charges against Manchester City include providing inaccurate financial information from 2009 to 2018, failing to disclose correct details of player and manager payments, and not complying with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules between 2013-14 and 2017-18. Additionally, the club faces seven charges related to breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) from 2015 to 2018. While other clubs like Everton and Nottingham Forest have faced penalties for PSR violations this season, City has not yet been subjected to any disciplinary action.