Premier League champions Manchester City have been dealt with a huge blow by UEFA. UEFA have banned them from European club competitions for the next two seasons.
Manchester City have also been fined €30 million due to ‘committing serious breaches of UEFA Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations by overstating their sponsorship revenue in their accounts’.
The independent Adjudicatory Chamber of the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) said Manchester City had broken the rules by “overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to Uefa between 2012 and 2016”. The club also “failed to cooperate in the investigation”.
Uefa announce Man City banned from next two seasons of the Champions League and fined 30 million euros pic.twitter.com/yUku5PMGZ4
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) February 14, 2020
Manchester City have the right to appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. They have confirmed that they will appeal at the earliest.
Manchester City said in a statement: “The club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position.”
“In December 2018, the Uefa chief investigator publicly previewed the outcome and sanction he intended to be delivered to Manchester City before any investigation had even begun.”
“The subsequent flawed and consistently leaked Uefa process he oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver. The club has formally complained to the Uefa disciplinary body, a complaint which was validated by a CAS ruling.”
“Simply put, this is a case initiated by Uefa, prosecuted by Uefa and judged by Uefa. With this prejudicial process now over, the club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will, therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.”
If City fail to overturn the European ban, it will have a serious effect on the team. According to a report in The Telegraph, unless the club can overturn the ban, Guardiola will ‘consider his future’ this summer. Sources close to Guardiola stated that he was said to be in ‘a state of genuine shock’ and will ‘keep calm and evaluate what to do in the future’.
Manchester City have been drawn against Real Madrid in the round of 16 of this season’s Champions League. The first leg is scheduled to be played on 26th February at the Bernabeu.
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