Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has urged supporters to stay together as the club’s legal process with the Premier League continues, insisting the board’s confidence in clearing the club has not shifted.
In the dressing room
In an open letter to City supporters, Al Mubarak acknowledged the latest reports had brought fresh questions from friends, family and colleagues. He said he had faced them himself, but repeated that the case remains unresolved and has “a long way to go”.
The chairman, now in his 18th year with the club, said City remain determined to establish their innocence. He told fans that his belief in the club’s position was as strong as it had been at the beginning of the process.
Al Mubarak said there was more he would like to explain, but stressed that the legal proceedings are subject to strict confidentiality. Even his message to supporters had required several legal checks before it could be issued.
He asked supporters to revisit the club statements released on Friday and in February 2023, saying their wording remained important and their position had not changed. While others had been quick to reach conclusions, he said, there had been no alteration to City’s stance.
Al Mubarak framed the moment as another test of the bond between the club and its following. Recalling time spent with supporters at the Etihad, Wembley and in Istanbul, he said Manchester City mattered deeply to him and that supporters had repeatedly shown how much it meant to them.
“We have faced challenges together before and prevailed,” was the thrust of his message, alongside a warning that there are people who would like to halt the club’s momentum. City, he said, would not offer them that opening.
Fixtures after the international break
| Match | Venue | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool v Manchester City | Anfield | Premier League |
| Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain | Etihad Stadium | Champions League |
Al Mubarak pointed to the football waiting on the other side of the international break, with City due at Anfield in a fortnight before Paris Saint-Germain visit the Etihad in the Champions League.
For now, the chairman’s request is for calm amid the noise and unity around the club. The next chance to make that point in the usual manner comes with a demanding trip to Liverpool, followed by a European night in Manchester that should bring the Etihad together again.
