‘This jealousy is on another level’, ‘We should sue them’ – Many Man City fans react to new Der Spiegel’s allegations

Plenty of Manchester City fans have taken to Twitter to react to a new allegations by German newspaper Der Spiegel and their claims of knowing the details of a Premier League investigation concerning the club.

Emails have been released that appear to show the state of Abu Dhabi facilitating payments to Manchester City, reigniting the controversy that led to the club receiving a ban from European competition that was ultimately overturned at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

According to documents published by Der Spiegel, City liaised with a government agency in the Gulf State to fulfil payments to the club owed by a private company under the control of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and City’s owner since 2008.

It comes alongside further claims that the Premier League is investigating the possibility City paid transfer fees for underage players and supplemented the wages of their former manager, Roberto Mancini, by means of a secret consultancy contract.

City would not comment on the allegations but sources close to the club have sent a strong response to the new allegations made by Der Spiegel.

As part of a strong response from sources close to Manchester City, the Sun newspaper’s Martin Blackburn has reported on Thursday evening that the Premier League champions believe the details are a ‘continuation of previous allegations’, which they feel are ‘designed to damage the club’.

Furthermore, the Guardian’s Paul MacInnes quotes sources close to Manchester City, who have said that the new Der Spiegel reports were a continuation of an “orchestrated campaign” and part of “an endless attempt to damage us”.

Previous allegations made by Der Spiegel which suggested City were the beneficiaries of inflated sponsorship deals directly funded by Sheikh Mansour led to the club receiving a two-year ban from the Champions League. That ban was subsequently cancelled on appeal by Cas.

The timing of the news and allegations is also conspicuous in a European context with UEFA having just announced a reform of its own club financial rules (see UEFA forges ahead with financial reforms that will cap squad wages and transfer spending).

The report was shared on Twitter by City Xtra and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters.

“This jealousy is on another level”
Credit: @FutThomasYT

“We need to seriously consider legal action now, it’s becoming a joke how this is allowed to happen year on year like clockwork.”
Credit: @JoshTR

“Thats what happen when we take no action when media attack us over and over again.”
Credit: @lordsalty57_

“We should sue them”
Credit: @DabboGaming

“Nothing new, seems to happen every year and to damage the reputation of our club. People are jealous and tired of our success, that’s all. People want what they can’t have.”
Credit: @CharlieE267

“An obvious endless slander attempt to distract us before big games”
Credit: @FodenFanatic47

“The timing also makes it clear that it is an orchestrated attack. Recycling old news in an attempt to disrupt.”
Credit: @Gladostato

“Predictably orchestrated, many of us said there would be stories about us this week and not good ones!”
Credit: @th9230

“Can always tell when you’re getting to the ‘business end’ of the season, that’s when Der Spiegel regurgitates old rubbish on Manchester City!!!”
Credit: @25FernaFan