Etihad responds to Manchester City case, weighs action vs Premier League | OneFootball

The impact of Manchester City’s financial case has already reached one of its main sponsors. Etihad Airways, the company that has held the naming rights to the English club’s stadium since 2009, denied any involvement in improper commercial agreements and announced that it is considering possible legal action against the Premier League.

Etihad denies any wrongdoing

The airline’s position comes after an independent commission determined that Manchester City committed serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.

According to the findings released by the league, the club used commercial contracts considered irregular to inflate its revenue and understate costs by more than £900 million over a period of nearly a decade. City has rejected the findings and is preparing an appeal.

Etihad, for its part, distanced itself from any misconduct and said it was never involved in improper commercial agreements.

The company also questioned the process followed by the Premier League, stating that it was not contacted during the investigation and did not have the opportunity to provide information that, in its view, would have been relevant to the case.

The airline is considering legal action

The company believes that the way the Premier League publicly communicated the investigation’s conclusions has damaged its reputation.

For that reason, Etihad announced that it will seek legal advice to determine what steps it can take to protect its interests. For now, the Premier League has not commented on the airline’s position.

The company also expressed concern about leaks and about the way the investigation was presented publicly, even though Etihad is not directly mentioned in the published decision.

A relationship that remains in place

Etihad has maintained a commercial relationship with Manchester City since 2009 and holds the naming rights to the Etihad Stadium. The airline said it continues to support the club and that its commitment to the institution and its fans remains unchanged.

The situation, however, could drag on for the coming months. Manchester City is expected to appeal the commission’s findings and, for now, no sporting sanction has been imposed on the club.

As the process continues, Etihad is also assessing its own legal options, becoming one of the first major City sponsors to react publicly to the ruling.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.