Manchester City banned from CL for 2 seasons and fined 30 million euros | CAS - Ban lifted, fined 10 million

[Untied]

So CAS is not saying that City didn't break the FFP rules, but this decision and punishment was only related to the fact that City did not properly disclose to UEFA that they had broken the rules?

yeah basically.
Given the leaked emails we know City did break FFP.

So the CAS ruling is
- City broke FFP
- City hid this from authorities to avoid punishment
- These offences are now either too far in the past or covered by previous settlement
- So we can only punish them for hiding things from authorities

what is completely corrupt is that if the punishment for hiding an offence is less than the punishment for the offence itself (which is what CAS has done), why would any rational club NOT hide/fail to cooperate.

CAS essentially agrees there was even more deliberate rulebreaking than just FFP offences and yet deemed it worthy of reduced punishment??

 

[JinnerJamie]

Any chance we can get the Scouser's on match fixing now that this is dead?

 

[Striker10]

don't worry lads. CAS are legit - Money does talk. We grew up talking about a super league and that may be the only way to get rid of these stupid cheating fools. It's a shame but it's like those kids that used to play fooball manager/championship manager in cheat mode. There is no point. They're a disgrace but money does corrupt and there is no corporation immune from it. At thte heart of it are people who have ther own first world problems.

 

[steve zizou]

Why don't we just send cases to CAS in the first place? All I've seen them do is overturn rulings.

 

[shahzy]

Doesnt UEFA technically "Invite" teams into their competition? Why can't they NOT invite Manchester City? They surely are not forced to invite anyone. Obviously someone with some legal knowledge can shed light on it because my solution seems to straightforward to be true

 

[JohnnyKills]

So the fine is for them not co-operating with the initial investigations. All other charges were thrown out or time barred (over 5 years old, which by bringing the charges in the first place, UEFA were breaking their own FFP rules). Like it or not, it seems that City didn't do a great deal wrong and this is the right decision.

If you don't cooperate with the authorities when they ask to inspect your accounts, that's a fairly big wrondoing isn't it.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Wait, i am confused. They are not punished because they proved that they didn't do anything wrong or it is because it happened "looooooong time ago" (5 years is apparently ancient history)

 

[Fluctuation0161]

So the fine is for them not co-operating with the initial investigations. All other charges were thrown out or time barred (over 5 years old, which by bringing the charges in the first place, UEFA were breaking their own FFP rules). Like it or not, it seems that City didn't do a great deal wrong and this is the right decision.

Time barred does not mean they didn't do a great deal wrong. Obstructing the investigation is also not indicative of that either.

 

[sewey89]

Can somoene explain this to me as I'm 3 years old. So they're guilty but they only got a slap on a wrist?

No. Not guilty of any charges relating to FFP. Guilty of not co-operating with UEFA's initial investigations

 

[Tarrou]

Does the £10m count towards their FFP spending?

Actually it doesn't matter now as City have shat all over the entire thing anyway

 

[Michael T]

Hmm; what a surprise!

Still, footballing wise, it's good news for Manchester United. I didn't fancy the advantage not playing any European football would have given Manchester City in the Premier League over the coming two seasons. I fancy our chances with a level playing field. Tonight's home game against Southampton just got a whole lot bigger.

 

[sewey89]

Time barred does not mean they didn't do a great deal wrong. Obstructing the investigation is also not indicative of that either.

It doesn't, you're absolutely right. But it means that it was more than 5 years ago and therefore cannot be punished. Which are the rules that UEFA put in place.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Doesnt UEFA technically "Invite" teams into their competition? Why can't they NOT invite Manchester City? They surely are not forced to invite anyone. Obviously someone with some legal knowledge can shed light on it because my solution seems to straightforward to be true

Because then City would sue them for discrimination.

 

[crossy1686]

Adds a bit of spice to the Southampton game tonight, eh?

Glad the decision has come, we know what we have to do now. No excuses for fecking this up at this stage

 

[Tom Cato]

Manchester City is a corrupt orgnanization that refued to cooperate with the UEFA investigation in the first place. They've had billions blown into the club through the oil sheikhs and that is the only reason they are a club anyone cares about in the first place.

Congratulations Manchester City fans. You are celebrating getting away with fraud.

 

[shahzy]

Wrong. If anyone is a joke then it is UEFA. Sounds like their case lacked any serious merits.

No, reading the twittersphere and on here they were acquitted due to time. In other words, as the indescretions happened more than 5 years ago they cant be punished for it. So do whatever you want, break the law but make sure you dont get caught for the 5 years after that and its all good.

 

[Hulksmash]

I translate the CAS document for u

City :

- Didn't send any Documents
- Didn't cooperate with UEFA
- there was not 100% evidence ( probably 99% evidence)

Since it was only 99% evidence and the matter happens before 5 years ago , City are free. So basically they used a loophole to dodge the penalty

 

[neilv93]

I don't why people thought CAS was this beacon of honesty and objectivity. Lots of their rulings over the years are always debated

Well now they're basically just a tax on overspending. "Spend what you want and we'll only fine you €10m".

Ps Djibouti - nice!

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Good news for Manchester United. I didn't fancy the advantage not playing any European football would have given Manchester City in the Premier League over the coming two seasons. I fancy our chances with a level playing field. Tonight's home game against Southampton just got a whole lot bigger.

We do the business tonight and let Chelsea and Leicester fret about fourth place.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Not arsed now we’re gonna get top 4.
Would’ve been fuming if we still looked likely to end up 5th

 

[Thunderhead]

So the fine is for them not co-operating with the initial investigations. All other charges were thrown out or time barred (over 5 years old, which by bringing the charges in the first place, UEFA were breaking their own FFP rules). Like it or not, it seems that City didn't do a great deal wrong and this is the right decision.

precisely, which people have been saying for a while, also the refusal to co-operate was due to UEFA insiders leaking stuff to the press, that's why City went to CAS in the first instance before the investigation, at the time CAS said what UEFA were doing was worrysome.

 

[gorky_utd]

I thought they would avoid the ban but with increased monetary penalty. This 10 mil is a joke. FFP actually looks like a farce now.

 

[Makelele]

No, reading the twittersphere and on here they were acquitted due to time. In other words, as the indescretions happened more than 5 years ago they cant be punished for it. So do whatever you want, break the law but make sure you dont get caught for the 5 years after that and its all good.

I read it quite differently by looking at the actual CAS verdict. They say quite clearly that there was not sufficient evidence for many of the accusations by UEFA. The time barred part of it seems to be a less significant aspect.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Didn't expect any other result tbh, the game is corrupt down to it's core, the fans and viewers create the demand that drives the massive money in the TV rights that flows into these clubs. It's a business, not a sport, the sport is a by product.

Realise that now, in current society, there are no longer any rules for various parts of the population. You have money? You have access to any interpretation of any law that will be bent to your favour.

Bleak dystopian future we have in front of us. And this is just a symptom of the direction we are hurtling in. Sports washing regimes that have unlimited resources, owning teams where the very social causes advertised on the shirts are in stark contrast to their social policies at home.

I now fully expect City to dump €250-300 million on players most years and consolidate themselves in global football.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Exactly, tin pot nothing club.

As much as i detest Liverpool, at least they are a proper club with history and are winning things properly.

My hate for City has now moved ahead of the dippers. This is a disgraceful decision.

Today is a sad day for the sport, corruption is tarnishing the most beloved sport in the world.

 

[gica_7]

So, as long as you are wealthy enough, you can break the rules. That's the message.

Anyway keep up banning some random Turkish or Polish clubs. FFP works fine on them.

 

[mu4c_20le]

It doesn't, you're absolutely right. But it means that it was more than 5 years ago and therefore cannot be punished. Which are the rules that UEFA put in place.

Are you sure? Kinda strange that they were not aware or forgot their own rules

 

[sewey89]

No, reading the twittersphere and on here they were acquitted due to time. In other words, as the indescretions happened more than 5 years ago they cant be punished for it. So do whatever you want, break the law but make sure you dont get caught for the 5 years after that and its all good.

Again though, thats UEFAs fault for 1) not bringing the charges sooner or (and more importantly) 2) giving clubs a loophole to get away with it

 

[crossy1686]

The €10m just looks like a bribe to play CL football now. Well done UEFA, you don’t even know your own FFP rules

 

[Shiva87]

Doesnt UEFA technically "Invite" teams into their competition? Why can't they NOT invite Manchester City? They surely are not forced to invite anyone. Obviously someone with some legal knowledge can shed light on it because my solution seems to straightforward to be true

UEFA invites leagues and provides the leagues with specific guidelines for clubs to be sent to the competition. In their invite, they can ban a club (like they sought to do with Man City). However, they don't have the option to not invite a specific club. They will have to cancel the invite for the entire premier league if they don't want to comply with this ruling, which specifically restricts them from banning City as a punishment for the offence.

Anyway - this was fully expected the moment football clubs starting facing financial difficulties. Football needs the Sheikhs's to pour cash into the game for the next two seasons. Banning City would have stopped a lot of the cash flows coming in, which would not have been good for the economic health of the sport. It's a very pragmatic decision. The ruling would have been different had CoVID not happened.

 

[Castia]

Good news for Manchester United. I didn't fancy the advantage not playing any European football would have given Manchester City in the Premier League over the coming two seasons. I fancy our chances with a level playing field. Tonight's home game against Southampton just got a whole lot bigger.

Half the players and probably the manager would have wanted out. City would have been completely fecked.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Good news for Manchester United. I didn't fancy the advantage not playing any European football would have given Manchester City in the Premier League over the coming two seasons. I fancy our chances with a level playing field. Tonight's home game against Southampton just got a whole lot bigger.

You are not looking at bigger picture. If they were banned then they would lose players and they would have problems to buy new (best) players. And maybe even Fraudioala would resign.

Now they will rebuild squad with another 500-600mil. What will stop them? FFP?

 

[Traub]

So the fine is for them not co-operating with the initial investigations. All other charges were thrown out or time barred (over 5 years old, which by bringing the charges in the first place, UEFA were breaking their own FFP rules). Like it or not, it seems that City didn't do a great deal wrong and this is the right decision.

This makes sense. However it does seem like a loop hole in the time barred law. By obstructing UEFA, it seems they essentially didn’t allow the initial correct verdict five years ago.
Perhaps the obstruction would not have resulted in a material change to the initial verdict? Then I agree with the decision.

 

[Greck]

Yeah this is particularly crazy.

Essentially CAS admits City deliberately mislead UEFA in the previous investigation, but then states that the FFP offences are time barred because of that previous investigation (which came to the wrong conclusions because of City’s misrepresentations) and so they can only punish them for the article 56 failure. It’s nuts.

UEFA might actually have stood a better chance in an actual European court. This arbitration panel...

 

[Nick7]

Surely FFP has to be dead now.

 

[sewey89]

Are you sure? Kinda strange that they were not aware or forgot their own rules

It's in the FFP rules and city were charged against UEFAs FFP rules, so yeah....

It is shit and it indicates that they've got away with breaking the rules on a technicality of when it was, rather than any innocence. But still - An independent body has found them not guilty of anything other than not cooperating. Time we moved on probably.

 

[BobbyManc]

Football would be better if UEFA could do what they wanted without clubs having recourse to an independent body apparently. If UEFA prosecuted City and CAS overturned it, it’s because UEFA’s case was not strong enough. Tough.

 

[TheGodsInRed]

Can somoene explain this to me as I'm 3 years old. So they're guilty but they only got a slap on a wrist?

You are incredibly literate for a 3 year old.

They are not guilty. Sounds like the evidence was dismissed due to it being obtained through illegal means (hacked emails). UEFA couldn’t get other evidence and City wouldn’t like them have access. So they got a 10 mill fine for that, but not guilty on the main allegation (cooking the books).

 

[R'hllor]

Damn i only thoo east is corrupt as feck, this is some next level stuff. Dunno why people loosing their shit, its not really surprising is it.

 

[crossy1686]

So when we all knew that City naming their stadium after their owners brand and saying it was full every week when it clearly wasn’t, why weren’t they investigated then? Why has it taken this long for them to be looked in to?

UEFA are as corrupt as the rest but City fans started booing the CL anthem and then they decided to investigate. Proper shit show, power hungry little men everywhere.