THE prospect is either hilarious or infuriating, depending on your view of Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules.
But just imagine Manchester City — convicted ‘cheats’ — as champions of Europe, just as they are heading for a two-year ban?
Benjamin Mendy and Co would grab the chanced of Euro glory with open arms ahead of a two-year ban for Man CityCredit: Instagram
Man City defender Nicolas Otamendi larks about in training at Atletico MadridCredit: Instagram
Man City players took the chance to train at the Wanda MetropolitanoCredit: Instagram @ManCity
It would be some story.
Champions League winners who would not be able to defend their crown and cannot contest the European Super Cup — although, it is believed, would still represent Uefa at the Club World Cup in Qatar in December.
That would be awkward for the stuffed blazers in Switzerland, to say the very least.
If City continue to march through Europe, all the way to the Champions League final in Istanbul on May 30, the club will be battered about FFP every step of the way.
And Uefa will also be asked about the legitimacy of City competing in this year’s competition, after they were found guilty of overstating sponsorship between 2012-16.
But fuelled by a sense of raging injustice and determined to embarrass their club’s avowed enemies at Uefa, Pep Guardiola’s ‘outlaws’ might just win a first European Cup out of sheer bloody-mindedness.
Wednesday’s 2-1 comeback victory over Real Madrid in the Bernabeu — a landmark result for the club — certainly suggested as much.
Players who have done nothing wrong on a personal level are made to feel guilty by association and angered previous achievements are tarnished by the FFP verdict.
There is still a long way to go. City must finish the job against the 13-time European champions in the last-16 second leg on March 17, then beat three more elite clubs.
Bayern Munich are looking outstanding, Liverpool have almost forgotten how to lose and Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still around at Barcelona and Juventus, of course.
City’s track record in the competition — one semi-final in eight previous attempts — suggests it would be a tall order.
Yet this time, they have the added advantage of competing with bloody great chips on their shoulders.
In public, their policy is ‘Don’t mention the ban’, with players gagged from answering questions on the issue.
After Wednesday’s win, I asked Gabriel Jesus a straightforward question about whether the players are motivated by the ban or simply able to block out the issue — and I received the equivalent of a two-footed tackle from City’s PR team.
Guardiola has been briefed heavily on the ban and gives standard answers about it.
Inside the dressing room — and the club as a whole — it is said to be very different.
Other than that, there is a wall of silence, with policy stating no one will admit City are motivated by their punishment.
Players who have done nothing wrong on a personal level are made to feel guilty by association and are angered that their previous achievements have been tarnished by the FFP verdict.
The club’s hierarchy are determined that no loose words will affect their legal case or inflame Uefa further.
After lodging their appeal this week, City are remarkably confident they will win their case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Perhaps this is misplaced arrogance emanating from entitled Abu Dhabi royalty.
Or perhaps City’s legal team have a smoking gun to present to CAS.
They are convinced FFP is a stitch-up by the old elite — including Real — to limit investment at nouveau-riche clubs such as City.
But they will need more than that argument to win.
They will need to prove they did not break existing rules — whether those rules are right or wrong.
While City’s lawyers prepare to do their bit in Lausanne, their players are just as determined to prevail.
Not just to conquer Europe — but to get one over on Uefa itself.
Noel Gallagher goes mad at the Bernabeu as Man City come from behind to beat Real Madrid
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
