Explainers

MANCHESTER CITY will be playing Champions League football next season after their two-year ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
City have been ordered to pay a £10m fine for obstructing Uefa’s investigation but are otherwise in the clear.

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The ruling sees Man City banned from the CL for two yearsCredit: Reuters
But what does this mean for this year’s Premier League and that all-important fourth qualifying spot?
Will fifth place Premier League finish secure CL spot?
FOLLOWING Uefa’s ruling, Man City WILL be playing in the Champions League next season, having gained enough points to guarantee their spot.
But the fifth placed team in the Premier League will not now qualify for the competition with only the top four to make it, as would be the cae in any other season.
That team is currently Manchester United, but they have a game in hand on fourth placed Leicester and take on Southampton tonight.

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How the race for the top four looks with three games to go
Why were Man City banned from the Champions League?
CITY had been slapped with the sanction having been found guilty of seriously misleading European football’s governing body.
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 emails and letters.
City were initially fined £49m for FFP breaches in 2014, although that was later reduced to £16m.

The club have always vehemently protest their innocence.

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The reigning Premier League champions have also been hit with a whopping £25m fine by UefaCredit: Getty Images
A statement from the club at the time said: “Manchester City is disappointed but not surprised by today’s announcement by the UEFA Adjudicatory Chamber.
“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 judgement as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.” More

MANCHESTER CITY have learned their fate after CAS ruled on their Champions League ban.
The Citizens had been rapped by Uefa’s club financial control body (CFCB) back in February and slapped with a a two-year suspension from European competition and £25m fine for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

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Pep Guardiola’s side will know on Monday if their appeal has been successfulCredit: Reuters
Etihad chiefs have been battling the verdict ever since and the decision has now been revealed.
What is the Man City verdict?
CAS have OVERTURNED Man City’s Champions League ban.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport verdict cleared the club of Uefa’s charge of “disguising equity funds”.
However, they did agree that City had obstructed the investigation and thereby ordered them to pay a fine of £10m, rather than £30m.

Before the case, Pep Guardiola said: “I’m confident because I saw the arguments of the club that next season we will be there but we have to wait and after I give my opinion or the club will give their statement.
“[Beating Brighton 5-0] we achieved one incredible challenge, which is qualification for the Champions League mathematically.
“That is the challenge that is the minimum requirement for this club. And these players have done it for the last six or seven years.
“We deserve to be there because we won it on the pitch. Hopefully on Monday UEFA can allow us to play like this team and these players deserve to.”

Will they be able to play in this season’s the Champions League?
Man City WILL be able to play in next season’s Champions League.
As a result of the verdict, only the top four will qualify for the Champions League next season, meaning the fifth placed team will miss out. More

MANCHESTER CITY are set to learn if the appeal against their Champions League ban has been successful.
The Citizens were rapped by Uefa’s club financial control body (CFCB) back in February and slapped with a a two-year ban and £25m fine for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

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Pep Guardiola’s side will know on Monday if their appeal has been successfulCredit: Reuters
Etihad chiefs have been battling the verdict ever since, with Uefa now set to reveal their decision.
What time will Uefa announce the result?
After nearly six months of wrangling behind the scenes, City will find out on Monday July 13 if they will be appearing in next season’s Champions League.
The decision has huge ramifications – and not just for players and staff at the Etihad.
If the ban is upheld, the team finishing fifth in the Premier League will head into the tournament instead of City, who have already secured their place in the top four after thrashing Brighton.

And for the club themselves, keeping hold of their star players and attracting new ones could be tough without the lure of the Champions League.
Etihad chiefs have always denied any wrongdoing and Pep Guardiola is confident that City will be appearing in the premier competition next campaign.

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City were beaten by Spurs in last season’s Champions LeagueCredit: Reuters
The City boss said on Saturday evening: “I’m confident because I saw the arguments of the club that next season we will be there but we have to wait and after I give my opinion or the club will give their statement.
“[Beating Brighton 5-0] we achieved one incredible challenge, which is qualification for the Champions League mathematically.

“That is the challenge that is the minimum requirement for this club. And these players have done it for the last six or seven years.
“We deserve to be there because we won it on the pitch. Hopefully on Monday UEFA can allow us to play like this team and these players deserve to.”
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will announce the decision at 10.30am Swiss time, which is 9.30am BST.
This is the first time a club has been banned for two seasons and the CAS has the power to overturn the ban or reduce it to just one season.

Will they be able to play in this season’s the Champions League?
The two-season European ban City received was due to start in 2020/21.
If it is upheld, they WILL continue to play in this season’s edition of the competition which is due to restart in August.
City beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu in their last Champions League game and were involved in the draw which took place on July 10.
Should they make it past the La Liga leaders, they will have to face either Juventus or Lyon in the quarter finals. More