Etihad Airways weighs legal action against the Premier League over Man City case

Etihad Airways, the Manchester City’s principal sponsor, says it is considering legal action against the Premier League. The move comes after an independent commission found the club guilty over serious breaches of the league’s financial rules.

The commission ruled that between 2009/10 and 2017/18 City arranged “sham” contracts with a number of commercial partners as part of a “disguised funding scheme”, inflating revenues by £830m. The club continues to deny the alleged breaches, with chief executive Ferran Soriano calling the process a “Premier League conspiracy theory”.

Etihad’s response is direct: it “categorically rejects” any suggestion that it has been involved in improper commercial arrangements. The airline says the Premier League did not engage with it and it was not given a chance to provide relevant information, and now it is seeking legal advice to protect its interests, according to Sky Sports.