Man City scandal: A by-the-numbers look at how the club was transformed by the Abu Dhabi takeover

Manchester City's chief executive, Ferran Soriano, has lashed out at the findings of an independent commission, which has accused the English football club of engaging in a "Premier League conspiracy theory" following its guilty verdict on 115 charges of financial violations since 2009. The club, which is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the deputy prime minister and vice president of the UAE, was found to have inflated revenues and reduced costs by more than $1bn through sham commercial contracts.

The commission also stated that City's financial statements had not been prepared and audited according to legal and regulatory principles, and that the club acted recklessly, failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches. The Premier League, which initiated the investigation in 2023, has threatened to impose a points deduction that could result in City being relegated to a lower league division, as well as significant fines. City has until Friday to appeal the commission's findings.