Club officials urge Manchester City case resolution before season ends

Senior football figures want Manchester City's financial-rules case settled before the end of the season, according to BBC Sport, although no final timetable has been confirmed. The calls come as City prepare to challenge findings against them and their main sponsor, Etihad Airways, considers legal action over how the case has been presented publicly.

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BBC Sport's Dan Roan reported on September 30 that the Premier League had announced findings against City covering financial regulation breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. Those findings included revenue being inflated by more than £900m through sponsorship arrangements. City have repeatedly denied wrongdoing and indicated that they intend to lodge an appeal by the end of the week.

The officials who spoke to the BBC were not named. One said a swift resolution would benefit everyone but stressed that the process must be handled correctly. Another believed the matter should be concluded this season and wanted any appeal dealt with on a shortened schedule. Their comments reflected concern about uncertainty if the campaign ends before a punishment is decided.

Responsibility for deciding the sanction rests with an independent commission, rather than the officials calling for an early conclusion. Both the Premier League board and City can propose a punishment for the panel to consider. The league has also publicly expressed its desire for proceedings to finish as soon as possible, the BBC reported.

There remains uncertainty over how quickly an appeal could proceed. The BBC cited a section of league regulations providing for an appeal to conclude within 12 weeks of filing, followed by a decision within 30 days. However, the report stressed that it was unclear whether those provisions would apply to City's case. Chief executive Ferran Soriano has suggested proceedings could continue for a long time.

Etihad, meanwhile, rejected any suggestion that it had participated in improper commercial arrangements. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the airline said it had not been given an opportunity to engage with the process and argued that the public presentation of the findings had damaged its interests, despite it not being named in the published decision.

The airline, City's main sponsor since 2009, said it would seek legal advice about its options. That position does not amount to confirmation that proceedings have been launched. The Premier League declined to comment when approached by BBC Sport about Etihad's statement.