Soriano rebuffs apology demand as Manchester City faces €1bn fraud verdict

In Copenhagen, Ferran Soriano, Manchester City’s chief executive, was confronted by journalist Rob Harris at the European Club Association’s general assembly on Tuesday after the Premier League ruled the club guilty of 114 financial offences between 2009 and 2018, a fraud estimated at €1 billion.

Press confrontation in Copenhagen

Rob Harris opened the exchange with a pointed query: “The Premier League confirmed you cheated for almost a decade, present an apology to football fans?” Soriano initially replied politely, “I have nothing to say, thank you.” The camera continued to record as Harris pressed further, asking whether the club intended to appeal and whether it was a “fictitious club” built on fabricated contracts.

Harris’s follow‑up questions grew more incisive, demanding a message for supporters and suggesting that prolonged cheating implied an obligation to apologise. Soriano’s tone grew visibly strained, and after a brief exchange he thanked the journalist repeatedly before making his way to the exit, appearing less confident than in a pre‑recorded internal video that later circulated in the English sports press.

Soriano’s defence of the club

Later, Soriano addressed the allegations, describing the case as “a conspiracy theory from the Premier League”. He asserted that the entire dossier rested on a single false claim: that the owner’s personal funds had been secretly injected via Abu Dhabi sponsors.

He insisted that “this is simply false” and that “irrefutable proof” had been supplied to the Premier League’s commission, demonstrating that such a secret injection was impossible and never occurred.

Manchester City’s official statement echoed Soriano’s stance, declaring the club “innocent of the accusations” and highlighting a “complete set of irrefutable evidence” supporting its position. The club pledged “unwavering determination” and a proactive approach before all relevant regulatory and legal bodies.

The European Club Association’s assembly, a powerful gathering of European clubs, was shaken by the announcement on Tuesday, underscoring the ongoing tension between the Premier League’s disciplinary actions and the club’s defence.

While the confrontation drew immediate media attention, the broader implication is a test of how high‑profile clubs manage scrutiny over financial compliance, with the outcome likely to influence future governance across Europe.