I see skies of blue
As expected, Manchester City have won their appeal against a two-year ban from European competition. A great day for lawyers, eh, and surely one of City’s best defensive displays this season.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed the club were cleared of “disguising equity funds” in breach of Financial Fair Play rules between 2012 and 2016. RIP FFP, and get ready for billionaires to enjoy an open season on football.
City’s original fine of €30m has been reduced to €10m, a drop in the ocean compared with the money the club will make from playing in Europe next season – not to mention the increased likelihood of holding on to star players and being able to attract more top talent.
CAS say that the accusations of fiddling sponsorship were “either not established or time barred.” Time barred, in this case, means that they happened more than five years ago and couldn’t be investigated/punished again
— Sam Lee (@SamLee) July 13, 2020
Ah, time is such a great healer.
The club’s immediate reaction:
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.
Consequently, Premier League rivals Man Utd, Chelsea and Leicester City must now finish in the top four to qualify for next year’s Champions League. This is especially bad news for Leicester, whose season is suddenly falling to bits, as this choice stat shows:
At lockdown, Leicester were eight points in front of Man Utd and they had a better goal difference by 16. Now the gap is one point and three goals – and United have a game in hand.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) July 12, 2020
Now imagine UEFA’s unbridled joy if City go on to win this year’s Champions League. Fair to say there will not be dancing in the streets of Nyon.