‘Serious’ financial breaches cited: Man City banned for 2 seasons from Champions League

The decision, announced by an independent financial control body of UEFA, the governing body for soccer in Europe, found that Manchester City had been guilty of multiple violations related to club licencing and so-called financial fair play rules — cost controls put in place by UEFA to try to mitigate the growing gap between rich clubs and poor ones in European leagues, and to tackle a growing debt crisis. The club, which also was criticised for failing to cooperate with UEFA’s investigators, also was fined 30 million euros ($32.5 million).

The penalty is the most significant punishment UEFA has handed out in the decade since it created its financial fair play regulations, and if upheld its consequences for Manchester City’s balance sheet and its competitive future could be severe. Participation in the Champions League is worth about $100 million a year to the club, and missing out on it could factor into the career decisions of some of the team’s star players, potential signings and even City’s coach, Pep Guardiola.

“Manchester City is disappointed but not surprised by the announcement by the UEFA Adjudicatory Chamber,” the club said. “The...flawed and consistently leaked UEFA process he (the UEFA chief investigator) oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver...” Meanwhile, the European football’s governing body said that City “failed to cooperate in the investigation.” City lost a previous appeal to CAS over UEFA’s original decision to refer them to its adjudicatory chamber over the alleged FFP violations.

“An appeal would not necessarily lift the suspension but the request can be made,” UEFA told AFP.

The investigation into City was based on leaked emails published last year by German magazine Der Spiegel as part of “Football Leaks”.