LONDON • The prospect of Manchester City being banned from the Champions League for alleged breaches of Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules increased on Monday night after it emerged that the investigators charged with examining the case will push for a one-season suspension.
Uefa's independent club financial control body has been investigating allegations that a £59.5 million (S$105.4 million) sponsorship deal that was supposed to have come to the club in 2015 from Etihad Airways was instead paid directly by the club's owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group.
Members of the body, which is led by former Belgium prime minister Yves Leterme, met in Nyon, Switzerland two weeks ago to finalise the conclusions that they will put forward to Uefa's adjudicatory chamber, which will decide on the sanction in the coming weeks.
A report in The New York Times on Monday also corroborated accounts that their recommendation would be a Champions League ban of at least one season.
Speaking in December, Leterme said: "If it is true what has been alleged, there might be a serious problem. This can lead to the heaviest punishment - exclusion from the Uefa competitions."
It is unlikely that such a ban, if authorised by the adjudicatory chamber, would come into effect in time for next season as City would have the right of appeal and could also take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
If City are found guilty, Uefa would have little time to finalise the English side's punishment in time for next season's competition as qualification for the Champions League starts next month, although the Premier League champions do not enter the competition until the group stage begins in September.
1
Investigators are recommending a one-season suspension for Manchester City from the Champions League.
City have strenuously denied any wrongdoing and vowed that they would mount an aggressive response to any effort to bar the club from the competition.
In a statement released earlier this year, the club said: "The accusation of financial irregularities are entirely false. The club's published accounts are full and complete and a matter of legal and regulatory record."
They have also pointed out that many of the allegations of financial impropriety and rule-breaking made against them came to light after they were reported by news media outlets with access to the so-called Football Leaks files, which are widely believed to have been obtained by hacking.
The club have previously been found guilty of breaching Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules, with the investigatory team arguing that a strong punishment is required on this occasion to prevent the regulations being rendered meaningless.
In 2014, City agreed to accept a fine of £49 million related to a breach of the spending rules and to accept some restrictions on transfers.
The latest development came a day after City retained the title and as the club prepared to back Pep Guardiola in the transfer market this summer as he looks to revamp his squad in another bid for a maiden Champions League crown.
The Spaniard became the first manager in a decade to win successive league titles and his players will complete an unprecedented domestic treble if they defeat Watford in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
But Guardiola still believes that his squad need strengthening amid the threat of a transfer ban following a separate investigation, with up to four players possibly signed while defenders Fabian Delph, Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala are set to leave.
He wants to add more physicality and height to his team, which is why he wants to bring in imposing Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri, who is seen as the perfect replacement for 33-year-old Fernandinho.
The Spain international has a €70 million (S$107.7 million) release clause in his contract, which means that if acquired, he would become City's record buy.
Riyad Mahrez, their most expensive purchase at £60 million, though, has no intention of leaving the Etihad despite his lack of playing time since moving from Leicester last summer.
The Algeria forward started only 14 league games, with Guardiola preferring Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane on the flanks, but he revealed he was "very happy here" and was "not going somewhere else because I don't play".
REUTERS, THE TIMES, LONDON
Sheridan: Kyrie Irving on His Future: "Ask Me July 1" by Chris Sheridan @sheridanhoops NEW YORK — On the morning after the largest city in the NBA was turned upside down by the mind-boggling trade of Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, the fallout was being felt most acutely by Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics inside Madison
Irving july 4 - YouTube
"Premier League clubs will represent these views at the European Club Association meeting in Malta on Thursday and Friday (6 and 7 June)." Outgoing Premier League boss Richard Scudamore has previously spoken to BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek to express his concerns about what such changes could do to the game.
EPL clubs opposed to European changes - straitstimes.com
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away
Cristiano Ronaldo responds as Virgil van Dijk emerges as favourite for Ballon d'Or. Cristiano Ronaldo came up against Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk as Portugal beat Holland in the UEFA
Atletico spoil Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Madrid Juve's
Mourinho humiliated by fall at Russian hockey league face-off
LONDON (REUTERS) - Fulham boosted their Premier League survival hopes as Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a stoppage-time winner to give them a dramatic 1-0 victory over bottom team Huddersfield Town at
Football news - Last-gasp Aleksandar Mitrovic earns Fulham 1
Injured Suarez to miss China Cup for Uruguay Posted on March 18, 2019 by yasir kaneria in Football , Sports Suarez, 32, is expected to miss between 10 and 15 days after limping off late in Sunday's 4-1 win at Real Betis in La Liga.
Injured Suarez to miss China Cup for Uruguay - China.org.cn
Ikhsan gets off mark in Norway, Football News & Top Stories
Tunisian club win African title after final abandoned over VAR (video assistant referee) was not working. Israel attacks Syria over rockets fired at Mount Hermon
Tunisian club win African title after final abandoned over
Sissoko unaware Tottenham had advanced after Sterling goal disallowed not realise his side had advanced to the Champions League semi-finals until a member of the coaching staff informed him in
Moussa Sissoko unaware Tottenham had advanced after Sterling
He may still be some way off his ambition of playing in a top European league, but Ikhsan Fandi is definitely making progress, after scoring his first two goals in Norway's second-tier football
Football: 'Adulting' Ikhsan finds his footing in Norway
Klopp hails 'outstanding' Reds, turns attention to Barca Mohamed Salah scoring Liverpool's third goal in their 5-0 rout of Huddersfield at Anfield on Friday. Salah also scored their fifth goal.
Klopp hails departing Sturridge as 'modern-day Liverpool great'
When Manchester City and Liverpool take to the field on the final day of the season tomorrow, it will be the eighth time in the Premier League era that the race for the title has gone down to the
Final-day hurrahs, Football News & Top Stories - The Straits
Perfect start for Solskjaer. United's hierarchy have been wowed by the Norwegian's 100 per cent start. Matteo serves as a cautionary tell for doing too well in the caretaker role,
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants Man United to sign 'quality
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen