Nyon ( Switzerland): Manchester City have been banned from European competitions for the next two seasons for u201c serious financial fair- play breachesu201d, UEFA announced on Friday, with the verdict immediately contested by Pep Guardiolau2019s English champions.
City, who were also fined 30 million euros ( R 232 crore), announced they were appealing the suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS) u201c at the earliest opportunityu201d. u201c Manchester City is disappointed but not surprised by todayu2019s announcement by the UEFA Adjudicatory Chamber,u201d the club said.
u201c The... flawed and consistently leaked UEFA process he [ the UEFA chief investigator] oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver... u201c Simply put, this is a case initiated by UEFA, prosecuted by UEFA and judged by UEFA. u201c With this prejudicial process now over, the club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possibleu201d at CAS. Guardiolau2019s City face Real Madrid in this seasonu2019s Champions League Last 16.
u2018 City failed to cooperateu2019 Announcing the ban, a UEFA statement declared: u201c The Adjudicatory Chamber has imposed disciplinary measures on Manchester City Football Club directing that it shall be excluded from participation in UEFA club competitions in the next two seasons ( ie. the 2020- 21 and 2021- 22 seasons).u201d European footballu2019s governing body said that City u201c failed to cooperate in the investigationu201d. u201c The adjudicatory chamber, having considered all the evidence, has found that Manchester City Football Club committed serious breaches of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations by overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the breakeven information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016,u201d European footballu2019s governing body said.
Request to UEFA can be made City lost a previous appeal to CAS over UEFAu2019s original decision to refer them to its adjudicatory chamber over the alleged FFP violations.
u201c An appeal would not necessarily lift the suspension but the request can be made,u201d UEFA told AFP. The investigation into City was based on leaked emails published last year by German magazine Der Spiegel as part of u201c Football Leaksu201d. AFP EPL Live on TV u00a3 Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur: Star Sports Select 1, Star Sports Select 1 HD, 19: 30 u00a3 Arsenal v Newcastle United: Star Sports Select 1, Star Sports Select 1 HD, 22: 00 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 at CAS Manchester City statement
