ABU DHABI, Oct 12 — Manchester City’s problems are easily explained in Abu Dhabi, home of the scandalised team’s royal owners, where fans agree: they’re victims of a Premier League conspiracy.
Across the oil-rich city, supporters believe there’s more to City’s woes than meets the eye, saying English football’s traditional powers are employing dark arts to neutralise an upstart rival.
“Of course,” replied Obeid Al-Heifeiti, 22, without hesitation, when asked if other clubs played a role in the seismic verdict that City broke Premier League financial rules more than 100 times from 2009 to 2018. The club has lodged an appeal.
“I think that’s part of it, if a club is successful,” said his friend Salman Al-Otaiba, 29, yesterday, as they watched City dismantle Liverpool 3-0 at a sports bar on Saadiyat island.
