The English FA breaks its silence over the Manchester City scandal with an official statement

The federation confirms it will act when necessary

The Football Association has warned of the serious repercussions of finding Manchester City guilty in the financial breaches case, stressing that the independent commission's ruling raises important questions about the integrity of the game.

In an official statement on Friday, the Football Association said: "We are carefully studying the decision and its implications, and we will take the appropriate measures when necessary."

The governing body's intervention came after a commission found City guilty on all charges relating to the breach of the Premier League's financial regulations, covering the period from the 2009-2010 season to 2017-2018.

City continue to deny any wrongdoing. The club has until Friday to lodge an appeal against the decision.

The FA added: "Given that the proceedings between the Premier League and Manchester City are still ongoing, we do not intend to make any further comment at this stage, but we will continue to follow developments closely."

Abu Dhabi funding at the heart of the anticipated appeal

Sources have told the "BBC Sport" website that City are expected to build their appeal around the argument that the main sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government rather than the club's owners.

The independent commission found that City entered into "sham contracts" with a number of commercial partners, part of a scheme to conceal secret funding exceeding 830 million pounds sterling.

The Premier League, for its part, confirmed that the club "systematically breached the league's rules over almost a decade."

Everything now hinges on the next legal steps. The potential appeal looms, and with it the question of whether these developments will bring further measures against the club.