Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak believes the club should be “judged by facts, not claims” after stating he did not feel they were given sufficient credit for securing a record fourth successive Premier League triumph.
City have yet to discover their fate after being charged with 115 different counts of breaking financial fair play rules between 2009 and 2018.
And as long as the matter remains unresolved, Al Mubarak hinted he feels City’s achievements will be viewed with an air of suspicion.
What did Al Mubarak say?
Speaking in his end-of-season address, he told the club’s official website: “I feel for our fanbase and everyone associated with the club, to have these charges constantly referenced.
“I think that we as a club have to respect that there is a process that we have to do through, and we are going through it.
“It’s taking longer than what anyone hoped for, but it is what it is, and I’ve always repeated, let’s be judged by facts, and not by claims and counterclaims.”
Khaldoon Al Mubarak reveals his pride at our unprecedented four-in-a-row achievement and the moment he knew City would win the @premierleague.
Part One of the Chairman’s annual end-of-season interview is out now.
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 5, 2024
Al Mubarak gave the interview on Saturday, three days before a report in The Times suggested City had launched legal action against the Premier League.
City are unhappy with the Premier League’s associated party transaction (APT) rules which were tightened in February and are in place to ensure fair market value for commercial contracts.
APTs are deals between clubs and businesses linked to their owners, who, in City’s case, are the Abu Dhabi United Group.
Al Mubarak added: “You know, we have to sometimes pause and contextualise.
“Since 1926, five teams have attempted to win four times in a row. Five teams. Huddersfield, Arsenal, you had Liverpool in the 80s and then you had Manchester United attempted it twice.
“None of them succeeded. In over 100 years of English football, never has any team been able to achieve four championships in a row. So once that sinks in, you start really appreciating the magnitude of what was achieved – the difficulty, the challenge, the tenacity required.”
So what are City’s aims for next season?
Al Mubarak says everyone at City is now targeting extending their Premier League run to five. He said: “Something that I’m most proud of in this in this club and in this entire organisation that we have from top to bottom, if you ask this question to anyone, they would answer probably with the same answer. Players, executives, physios, board… whoever you ask they will answer the same thing.
“And by the way, that five in a row in our minds happened the second that final whistle [blew] against West Ham. I remember just going down to the pitch and telling almost everybody I saw: ‘Excellent, fantastic result, we are so proud. But now we’re going for five in a row.”
