((City)) appeals its conviction on financial charges

The potential penalty remains unclear, but City, currently leaders of the world's richest domestic league, could face a significant points deduction, a fine, or even expulsion from the top flight.

The club, owned by an Emirati fund, said in a statement that "the club is innocent of the accusations leveled against it by the Premier League, and there is a comprehensive body of undeniable evidence supporting its position in this case," explaining that the appeal was submitted on Thursday evening.

It added, "The club's consistent position is that the opinion contains, in several respects, clear fundamental errors in law, principles, and facts, and cannot be relied upon."

It continued, "The club is innocent of the accusations leveled against it by the Premier League, and there is a comprehensive body of undeniable evidence supporting all its positions regarding this case."

The local football association broke its silence on the case on Friday, saying the commission's decision "has significant implications for the integrity of the game."

It added, "We are carefully studying the decision and its implications and will take appropriate action where necessary."

It continued, "Given that the proceedings between the Premier League and Manchester City Football Club are ongoing, we do not intend to comment further at this stage. However, we will continue to monitor developments closely."

The independent commission concluded that City entered into "sham" deals to artificially inflate its revenues and lower its costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion) between 2009 and 2018, a period during which it won three Premier League titles and other trophies.

The commission found that the club concealed the true state of its financial position, saying that City "significantly breached the spending limits of both the League and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)."

Not above the rules

Downing Street said on Thursday that the giant club is not "above the rules," following criticism directed at British Prime Minister Andy Burnham over the case.

A spokesperson said, "As the Prime Minister has made clear, the initial ruling is serious and there can be no suggestion that anyone is above the rules."

Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, told the BBC on Wednesday that he does not want to see the club's Emirati owners pull out as a result of this case.

He said, "I would be deeply concerned if we lost them," highlighting the investments made by the Abu Dhabi United Group, the majority shareholder in the club, in Manchester.

Oasis star and City fan Liam Gallagher posted an angry rant on the "X" platform on Friday, defending his club.

He said, "All this hatred directed at City from other clubs should be directed at Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool," adding, "They are the corrupt ones who are trying to prevent other teams from winning titles, not Manchester City."

Everton and Nottingham Forest faced points deductions in the 2023-2024 season due to a single breach of the financial sustainability rules.

Based on that, City could face relegation given the sheer scale of the case, and there is also speculation about the possibility of being stripped of its titles.

The UAE's Etihad Airways, City's main sponsor, stated that it is considering taking legal action against the English Premier League.

A spokesperson for Etihad Airways—the sponsor whose name appears on the team's shirt and after whom the club's stadium in Manchester is named—said in a statement received by Agence France-Presse that the company "categorically rejects any claim, conclusion, or suggestion that the airline was at any time involved in unsound commercial arrangements."

The Abu Dhabi-based airline expressed regret for not being consulted during the proceedings regarding the information relied upon "to reach conclusions that may now be interpreted as disparaging to the airline."

Another factor is the potential influx of compensation claims. Former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow told the BBC that clubs "will be lining up to demand compensation."

City has become the dominant force in English football since Sheikh Mansour, UAE Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister, took over the club in 2008.

The team plays its next match against Liverpool at Anfield on October 11, facing the club that was its closest rival for most of the past decade.