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Manchester City could face possible expulsion from the Champions League due to violation of the FFP rules
Even as Manchester City wait anxiously to know whether or not they will be sanctioned by UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) committee for a breach of its rules, it has now emerged that City’s Premier League rivals such as Arsenal, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United could challenge the ruling of Uefa’s Club Financial Control Body(CFCB) and push for City’s expulsion from the UEFA Champions League.
City are one of the clubs reportedly in danger of getting a heavy fine and a transfer ban imposed on them as a consequence of not adhering to the FFP regulations in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
Although City are not in danger of being expelled from next season’s Champions League by the governing body themselves, there is a provision in the FFP regulations for any club which is affected by City’s potentially unfair spending to challenge the sanctions and ask for a harsher punishment.
The CFCB’s decision is expected to come out in the first week of May and any club which is unhappy with it have the provision to challenge it within 10 days.
Teams which are fighting for 4th spot in the EPL i.e the likes of Arsenal and Everton stand to gain the most if City are expelled from the Champions League next season. Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, currently 6th and 7th in the Premier League, will also be keeping close tabs on the situation.
If the other Premier League clubs do push for a harsher sanction for City, a decision will be taken on the issue in a CFCB hearing sometime in June. The case can also be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport(CAS) by all parties if they are not happy with the CFCB ruling.
The CAS will make its final decision only in the beginning of August, just before the new season begins.
When asked about FFP, and a possible penalty, Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini just said: “First of all, it is important to know what Uefa will say and then we will have an opinion.”
