Journalist Jose Alvarez Haya has recently provided an update on Manchester City’s appeal against a two-year ban from European Football.
The ban came after Pep Guardiola’s side were found to have ‘seriously misled European football’s governing body and broken financial fair play rules‘, with the length of the ban imposed by UEFA – two years – being deemed as a reflection of how serious European football’s governing body believed City’s actions to be.
According to a report in The Guardian, City ‘falsely inflated their sponsorship revenues’, with the £67.5m annual sponsorship of the club’s shirt, stadium and academy supposed to be paid by Etihad, reportedly being found to have primarily been funded by the Abu Dhabi United Group – with just £8million coming from Etihad.
Despite this, City stated that they would be appealing against UEFA’s findings to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and, following a three-day hearing earlier this month, are currently waiting to hear the decision of CAS as to whether their ban will be upheld, reduced, or overturned – something which is reported to be announced in July.
And, in recent comments made on Twitter, journalist Jose Alvarez Haya provided an update from the City camp regarding the verdict of CAS.
He said: “Manchester City are calm about their possible sanction and have thus transmitted this to its staff. They consider the view of UEFA very positive and even contemplate a suspension/postponement of it [the ban]. If so, the club will shake the [transfer] market with several important signings.”
TIF Thoughts…
While the outcome of City’s appeal against a two-year ban from European football is undoubtedly a huge factor for the short-term future of the club, it would appear that, if Haya’s comments are to be believed, the club is feeling rather positive about the decision of CAS.
The ramifications of a negative verdict by CAS are likely to not only have an impact on the calibre of players that Manchester City could attract in the next transfer window but also on City’s ability to keep hold of some of the talent that the club currently owns.
Do you think Manchester City will overturn their European ban?
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As such, Haya’s comments are likely to be music to Manchester City fans’ ears.