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Manchester City's two-year ban lifted by CAS

The European football's governing body had announced the sanction in February, along with a €30million (£26.8m) fine, after finding City had committed "serious breaches" of Financial Fair Play regulations.

Manchester City

Bengaluru, July 13: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, has overturned the two-year UEFA ban on Manchester City from Champions League, thereby giving the club the green light to play in Europe's premier competition next season.

The CAS ruled that City did not breach the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by disguising equity funding as sponsorship, but imposed a €10 million fine for failing to co-operate with UEFA.

It may be recalled that the UEFA had announced the sanction in February, along with a €30 million fine, after finding City had committed "serious breaches" of FFP regulations.

Manchester City banned for two years by UEFAManchester City banned for two years by UEFA

However, City swiftly announced their intention to appeal to CAS and their case was heard in June via video conference.

An extra spot would have opened up if the ban was either upheld or reduced to cover just the 2020-21 season.

However City was so sure of getting the ban overturned from sport's highest court which hears such matters of dispute.

City confident of overturning the banCity confident of overturning the ban

While welcoming the CAS decision, City said they will be reviewing the full ruling in detail.

"Whilst Manchester City and its legal advisors are yet to review the full ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the club welcomes the implications of today's ruling as a validation of the club's position and the body of evidence that it was able to present.

The club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered," the club tweeted.

City have persistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the matter, which stemmed from a series of articles published by German publication Der Spiegel in November, 2018, drawing on information purportedly obtained by the whistleblower Football Leaks.

UEFA had opened an investigation into City in March, 2019, after Der Spiegel alleged that the club's Abu Dhabi owners had inflated sponsorship agreements to comply with the FFP requirements.

Manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly stated his belief that his club will be cleared, doing so again after the recent 5-0 Premier League win at Brighton and Hove Albion.

Guardiola 'confident' as Man City await CAS verdict on Champions League banGuardiola 'confident' as Man City await CAS verdict on Champions League ban

Guardiola's men, who were dethroned as Premier League champions by Liverpool have already secured a top-four place in the top flight of English football. They could add the FA Cup and the Champions League to the already retained EFL Cup.

The Abu Dhabi United Group, the investment vehicle owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the majority owner of the City Football Group, with a stake of around 77 per cent.

The City Football Group includes the Manchester club and owns or part-owns New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, Yokohama F Marinos in Japan, Club Atletico Torque in Uruguay, Girona FC in Spain and Sichuan Jiuniu FC in China.

Story first published: Monday, July 13, 2020, 15:45 [IST]
Other articles published on Jul 13, 2020