MANCHESTER CITY’S Champions League fate lies in the hands of five Uefa judges after they failed to get their Financial Fair Play case thrown out yesterday.
It is a dispute that confuses most fans so, here, MARTIN LIPTON explains all…
Man City still face a Champions League ban over alleged FFP breachesCredit: Getty
WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS?
Uefa investigated claims that City had hidden millions in funding by the club’s Abu Dhabi owners under the guise of legitimate sponsorship income.
The probe was launched following the Football Leaks document dump of City emails and letters.
It is understood Uefa determined City were guilty of “cynical” attempts to deceive their financial chiefs.
City — owned by billionaire Sheikh Mansour — have attacked the publication of “illegally hacked and out of context emails” and vehemently protest their innocence.
WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY?
City had asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to throw out the Uefa complaint.
They claimed there was no case to answer and questioned the legitimacy and haste of the investigation. However, CAS judges ruled City’s arguments “inadmissible”.
They pointed out that by asking CAS to intervene before Uefa had made a final decision, City had not “exhausted the legal remedies available prior to the appeal”.
Uefa judges are now due to rule next month.
Man City lose appeal to block Uefa’s probe into Financial Fair Play case – but may still avoid Champions League ban
ARE CITY BANKING ON DODGING BAN?
City believe the demands for a ban have been dissipated by Uefa’s fear that a prolonged legal fight could snare them in ruinously- expensive legal arguments.
It is even suggested that City will not accept a fine and will demand total exoneration.
What seems certain is that if Uefa imposed a ban that was upheld by CAS, City would attempt to argue at the European Court that FFP was illegal.
City, bossed by super-coach Pep Guardiola, believe the entire FFP rulebook was designed by Europe’s established clubs, with the support of the Uefa hierarchy, to prevent them breaking through the glass ceiling. They have a very fair point.
City were initially fined £49million for FFP breaches in 2014, although that was later reduced to £16m.
When the threat of a ban was mooted during that investigation, the leaked emails included one from City legal head Simon Cliff.
It suggested club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak threatened then-Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino that he would play hardball.
It read: “Khaldoon said he would rather spend £30m on the 50 best lawyers in the world to sue them for the next ten years.”
Infantino, now president of Fifa, was personally responsible for agreeing the ‘settlement’ that saw City fined.
Man City could find themselves kicked out of EuropeCredit: Reuters
GOOD AT GETTING OUT OF TROUBLE
In August, threats of a transfer ban over the recruitment of minors evaporated when City dragged the case beyond the start of new Fifa regulations that allowed them to ‘plea-bargain’ and take a fine instead.
That caused deep anger and frustration at Chelsea, who were found guilty of similar offences and were banned from signing any players this summer.
And earlier this month, FA disciplinary beaks found “no evidence” to back up more Football Leaks claims.
They said that in 2014 the club illegally paid the agent of Jadon Sancho £200,000 to leave Watford when the England winger was 14.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
