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Manchester City is preparing to lodge an appeal, claiming that the disputed sponsorship payments came from the Abu Dhabi government and not from the club's owners.

According to Daily Mail, Manchester City aims to demonstrate in their appeal that the payments at the centre of the legal case were made by the Abu Dhabi government, not by the club's direct ownership.

It has previously been established that the club illegally received over £900 million to circumvent Premier League financial regulations, including £830.69 million via disguised funding through commercial partnerships.

Key points of the club's defence:

  • Source of funds: City insists that bank statements from the government and witness testimonies confirm the money came from the Abu Dhabi government sponsor, and not from the Abu Dhabi United Group led by Sheikh Mansour (who also holds roles as Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE).
  • Challenging terminology: The club plans to dispute the commission's characterisation of the deals as 'dummy' agreements.
  • Owner's position: An argument will be made that Sheikh Mansour could not have been unaware of such large payments.
  • Procedural issues: The club questions the 20-month delay in delivering a verdict, labelling it as 'unlawful'.

Manchester City has until Friday to submit their appeal, which could ultimately determine whether the club faces severe sporting sanctions.