With the so dreamed title of Champions League 2022/23 conquered this Saturday by winning the Inter Milan 1-0 in the final in Istanbul, the Manchester City and its billionaire owners finally have the trophy that was a real obsession.
Fifteen years after the purchase of the club by Sheikh Mansour Ben Zayed Al Nahyane, vice president of the United Arab Emirates, a state-owned club rises to the top of Europe.
The title also comes in the year in which the Premier League, after a four-year investigation, accused Manchester City of 115 breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
That process could take time and, despite the precedent of UEFA’s complaint on similar grounds that was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2020, the shadow hangs over the team’s successes.
Even before talking about a possible “financial doping”, the question is raised of the use of the club as an instrument of influence of a regime criticized by organizations such as Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch lack of freedom of expression, arbitrary arrests or discrimination against women and sexual minorities.
O City Football Group (CFG), a holding tentacular present in the capital of twelve clubs on five continents, claims not to be an instrument of “soft power”, but a personal investment by Sheikh Mansour. The same Mansour who, in September 2017, at the head of the ‘Soft Power Strategic Council of the Emirates’ declared: “our objective is to expand the position of the United Arab Emirates in the world and in the hearts of the people”. And the same one who, until this Saturday’s final, had not watched an official City match since the 3-0 victory over Liverpool in 2010, which shows that he is not a passionate fan.
Champion in just four years
In the UAE’s efforts to diversify its sources of income and attract the attention of Western countries or China, Manchester City certainly weighs little, but the presidency has been entrusted to Khaldoon Al Mubarak, head of the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund.
Abu Dhabi, a pioneer in European football in 2008, saved Manchester City, then owned by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, from bankruptcy, described at the time as “a human rights violator of the worst kind” by Human Rights Watch.
City’s model was later emulated by Qatar in 2011 when they took over from Paris Saint-Germain. And for Saudi Arabia who took the reins of Newcastle in 2021.
The truth is that the arrival of the Emirates brought Manchester City to another dimension. It was a very popular club, but sportingly in the second tier and in the shadow of neighboring United. But all that soon changed.
He was tenth in the Premier League in 2009, fifth in 2010, third in 2011 and in his fourth year with the emirates, Manchester City became English champions.
Over the past thirteen years, the Sky Blues they have finished twelve times on the podium, winning seven Premier League titles, four of them in the last five seasons. This is joined by three FA Cups and six English League Cups.
This ‘power grab’ was made with big investments since 2008 and flashy signings like Robinho at the beginning and, more recently, the Norwegian star Erling Haaland.
a mature formula
To complete its visibility, Abu Dhabi also made huge investments in urban and housing projects in the city of Manchester.
But in the last five seasons, the ‘Citizens’ occupied only the 16th place among the most spenders clubs in the Premier League, according to data from the International Center for Sports Studies in Neuchâtel (Switzerland), published in February, which indicate that their model seems to have reached the maturity.
Despite the disappointments until this Saturday in the Champions League, City has shown signs of stability and has not fallen into nervous breakdowns like those of Paris Saint-Germain.
With executive director Ferrán Soriano, sporting director Txiki Begiristain and, of course, coach Josep Guardiola, the backbone remained and the gamble finally paid off. The predictable success of a controversial model.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
