Manchester City

Manchester City: Finance expert discusses City Football Group’s club ownership

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Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has been discussing Manchester City’s owners City Football Group (CFG) and their ownership of other clubs.

According to their own website, CFG is the majority owner of three ‘high-performing clubs’, those being Manchester City, Melbourne City and New York City.

However, in Europe alone, CFG also has minority shares in La Liga side Girona, Belgian club Lommel SK and French outfit Troyes.

So, with the UEFA Europa Conference League set to kick off in the 2021/22 season, Maguire discussed the eventuality of two CFG clubs meeting one another in a European competition on The Price of Football podcast.

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He said: “Remember, we do have the [Europa Conference League], the new club competition, coming into place in 2021/22.

“So, then, therefore, [that] means that 96 clubs in Europe could be taking [part] in some form of cup competition and, therefore, perhaps two or three of the non-Manchester City clubs could end up playing against each other.

“So, it’s a genuine concern. UEFA have investigated [and] at present, they seem happy enough – or they’ve been put off by the lawyers saying, ‘Well, in other businesses, Apple own Beats Headphones, for example. We have takeovers, we have M&A activity, so, why can’t that take place in the world of football as well?’

“From City’s point of view, we’ve said this is partly to do with the Brexit issue of perhaps using these clubs as a holding area until they get sufficient caps to be able to come to the Premier League.”

TIF Thoughts…

Judging from what the finance expert had to say, despite the fact two CFG-owned clubs potentially meeting in a European competition is a “genuine concern”, UEFA are currently “happy enough”.

Do you mind City Football Group owning so many clubs across the world?

No, it doesn't bother me

No, it doesn't bother me

Yes, should just own us

Yes, should just own us

So, it will be certainly interesting to see if UEFA do have more of a problem with it if the eventuality did ever occur.

However, with Lommel, Troyes and Girona all in the second division in their respective nations’ football pyramid, it does seem a slightly unlikely eventuality for the time being.

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