Ferran Soriano faces Premier League's anger in the European Parliament

Ferran Soriano, chief executive of City Football Group, appeared this Tuesday at the General Assembly of European Football Clubs (EFC) in Copenhagen, where he had to answer the anger of several Premier League officials who are seeking to claim economic damages that, according to them, Manchester City has caused during the years under investigation.

Soriano's dual role at the EFC

Soriano simultaneously holds the position of chief executive of City Football Group and that of a board member of European Football Clubs, a role he has held since 2023. The EFC brings together 850 clubs and around 500 representatives attended the assembly in Copenhagen. His dual status places him at the centre of the debate with the Premier League. The photograph of the executive with the trophy was published by Europa Press.

The Spanish executive had already defended on Monday before the EFC board that City will do everything possible to clear its name. He assured that the procedure could drag on for years, according to a source cited by Reuters. He did not respond to journalists when they asked him about the verdict in Copenhagen.

Legal actions by the Premier League

Several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham, initiated legal steps in 2024 to seek compensation for the alleged economic damages. These entities aim to substantiate losses linked to qualification bonuses, European participation and commercial revenues. To date no public lawsuit has been filed, as the clubs are awaiting the end of the appeal process.

The independent commission tasked with examining the Premier's accusations found Manchester City guilty of 114 of the 115 initial charges. The English competition and the commission have not yet published the resolution or the sanction, and the club maintains that it committed no irregularities and intends to appeal. Soriano, at the end of the meeting, stated that City disagrees with the conclusions and is confident of proving its innocence.

Possible sanctions and precedents

According to sources present, Soriano summed up the temporal dimension of the conflict with the warning: “It has taken eight years to get here and much more time will still be needed.” Among the possible punishments are fines, point deductions or measures that could jeopardise City’s continuity in the Premier League. A relevant precedent is the Everton‑Burnley case, in which Everton was ordered to pay around £35 million to Burnley for a breach of profitability rules.

The process is not yet closed and City expects to exhaust all avenues of defence before accepting any sporting or financial consequence. The next phase will determine the final sanction, while the affected clubs could lodge individual or coordinated claims once the appeal stage is concluded.

Meanwhile, pressure on Manchester City is mounting, and the European club community will watch the outcome closely to assess the impact on football governance. The Copenhagen Assembly is a critical point in a dispute that, according to Soriano, could stretch on for many more years.