Manchester City chief spotted boarding ‘crowded’ Ryanair flight | OneFootball

One senior figure from within the Etihad Stadium has been spotted returning to Manchester via a ‘crowded’ Ryanair flight.

The sighting comes at a time when Manchester City’s hierarchy have been particularly active across Europe, both on and off the pitch, with senior officials including CEO Ferran Soriano maintaining strong relationships with clubs, governing bodies, and commercial partners.

Soriano’s hands-on involvement in the running of the City Football Group (CFG) often sees him travelling frequently between member clubs and major football business events.

City’s CEO is one of the most influential executives in modern football, having played a pivotal role in the club’s transformation over the past decade under Sheikh Mansour’s ownership. He has overseen City’s strategic global expansion through CFG, which now includes clubs in Spain, France, Italy, Brazil, and beyond.

Soriano’s approach to football administration has been widely credited for blending elite sporting performance with financial sustainability – a model that has attracted interest and imitation across world football.

The latest trip to Italy came at a time when City’s football operations, led by sporting director Hugo Viana, continue to evolve following a busy summer transfer window. While Soriano primarily oversees the business and governance side, his influence also extends to long-term global partnerships and European political alignment.

As per a wider-ranging report from MailSport, Ferran Soriano was spotted boarding a crowded Ryanair flight back to the North-West city in England from Rome’s second airport, Ciampino.

It is detailed that Soriano was present in the Italian city for the general assembly of the newly re-named European Football Clubs (EFC), where Everton owner Daniel Friedkin – whose group also controls Roma – arranged for almost 1,000 delegates to dine at the Baths of Caracalla.

Soriano’s attendance at such a gathering is not surprising, given City’s stature among Europe’s most powerful clubs. The EFC assembly represents a new era for collective club representation across the continent following the disbandment of the European Club Association (ECA).

Manchester City, under Soriano’s leadership, are expected to play an increasingly prominent role in this organisation, especially as European football’s financial and governance landscape continues to shift.

Looking ahead, Soriano’s visible presence at these events – and his unassuming return to Manchester on a budget airline flight – further reflects his reputation as a pragmatic operator within football’s executive elite.

With the 2025/26 season underway and UEFA reforms on the horizon, his work in the boardroom could prove just as pivotal as Pep Guardiola’s on the touchline.