October 2: Manchester City sponsor Etihad Airways says it is looking to take legal action against the Premier League.
Etihad is owned by an Abu Dhabi fund chaired by the brother of the city’s owner, Sheikh Mansour.
City have been found guilty of breaching 115 of the league’s financial rules and will appeal. Chief executive Ferran Soriano called the findings a “Premier League conspiracy theory”.
Central to the finding was that Man City deliberately inflated the true value of sponsorships to circumvent financial fair play rules over a 10-year period, allowing the cup to become one of the biggest and most successful teams in modern history.
The airline said it would “seek relevant legal advice on the options and remedies available to protect its interests” and was continuing with City.
“Etihad categorically rejects any finding, conclusion or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements,” it said.
He added that the league’s publication of the findings, “after a period of leaks and selective reporting”, had damaged Etihad, although the airline was not named in the redacted version of the findings released by the independent commission.
Asahi, the Japanese drinks group that partnered with City Football Group in July 2022, has kept its distance from the scandal. He told the Press Association he was aware of the findings and the Council’s plan to appeal and was “continuing to monitor developments”.
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