Man City CEO in middle of ‘spying’ allegations by former club Barcelona

Manchester City's chief executive Ferran Soriano has been reportedly caught up in spying allegations by his former club Barcelona, which has further embarrassed the reigning English champions. Soriano, who has denied the allegations, is being investigated over claims that he authorised payments for prying in internal emails during his time as financial vice-president of Barcelona, the Daily Star reports. According to the claims, Soriano ordered a company called Cibex Experience to install equipment between 2005 and 2008 that monitored all internal emails containing certain words at the Nou Camp. These claims come as a blow to the club, whose manager Roberto Mancini is fighting to save his job at the Etihad. Senior City bosses have said that claims are a part of a dirty-tricks campaign to victimize Soriano. However, Barcelona alleged that City wanted Soriano to exploit his success at the Spanish club to improve the club's growth on and off the pitch. Soriano, 45, was drafted in last August to replace former chief executive Garry Cook, who left the club in September 2011 in disgrace after an email exchange with colleague Brian Marwood in which he ridiculed the cancer-stricken mother of defender Nedum Onuoha, the paper added.

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