Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has issued a letter to the club's fans, and he doesn’t sound too worried. On Friday, media reports claimed the club had been found guilty of several financial breaches — in fact, 114 of them. Since then, the football world has been abuzz, and many are demanding that the club be stripped of its trophies between 2009 and 2018 — eight of them during the period of the financial irregularities. Al Mubarak on Saturday has reacted to the whole mess in a letter in which he is kind of suggesting that City getting punished one way or the other is not a foregone conclusion.
“I have been part of this Club for 18 years. I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul. This Club matters to me, and you have shown and told me – time and time again - how much Manchester City matters to you. This is why I am writing to you today.
Deep Dive
What specific financial breaches has Manchester City been found guilty of?
Why is the outcome of the Manchester City case significant for the Premier League?
How might Manchester City appeal the commission's ruling on the financial breaches?
“Following Friday’s media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues. So have I. 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.
“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. 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.
{{/usCountry}}“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. 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.
{{/usCountry}}“I ask you to please carefully read the statement below, which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023 (also below). Every word matters and holds true.
"While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed. We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity.
"We have some exciting moments to look forward to after this international break. We travel to Anfield in a fortnight, and then host Paris St Germain in the Champions League back at Etihad Stadium - moments that give us an opportunity to celebrate the strength of the Manchester City family. Thank you, as always, for your constant support,” Al Mubarak wrote.
Mubarak mentioning the 2023 statement is clearly an attempt to remind one and all that these things have been going on for a while, and that the club has been supportive, not evasive during various investigations. Here is the February 2023 statement from the most successful English football club in recent years.
“Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with. The Club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position. As such, we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
If you are a City fan, his words are going to give you a lot of heart.