In a sensational development, the UEFA has banned the English football club Manchester City from the prestigious Champions League for two seasons. This was after the top English football club was found to be guilty of ‘serious breaches’ of UEFA’s financial fair play regulations.
Aside from being banned from taking part in the Champions League for two years in a row, the English champions will also have to pay a fine of £24.9m.
According to Sky Sports, an Adjudicatory Chamber found the Premier League champions guilty of serious breaches of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.
A statement by the UEFA said that Manchester City ‘overstated its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016.’
The UEFA is the governing body managing footballing affairs across Europe.
Manchester City said that they were ‘disappointed but not surprised’ by the ‘prejudicial’ decision and will appeal. BBC Sports quoted the statement as saying, “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 statement by Manchester City added, “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 judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.”