City at the court of arbitration soon.

[Offsideagain]

Just saw a story that De Bruyne is open to contract talks with City. I think he once said he wouldn’t renew if they got banned from the CL, so perhaps he knows the outcome of the case at the court of arbitration on City’s ban. I just skimmed through 30 pages of legal stuff that I couldn’t fully understand but the gist of City’s appeal is that the results of UEFA’S investigations into breaches of FFP were leaked to the press before City were informed and that voids the whole process. If that is it, then some straws are being clutched very hard at City. Each protest City made was knocked back by the Swiss court, they even dragged up a case involved AC Milan and match fixing where Milan we’re allowed to appeal on some points but City aren’t. I the end there is the Law and there is Justice. City allegedly broke the Law (FFP) but will they be served Justice? My bet is a compromise where the ban is reduced and yet another big fine is imposed and they are told not to do it again again.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

They won’t be banned. It will be suspended for 2 years, and they will be free to play next year (if it goes ahead), the fine will need to be paid.

 

[Sandikan]

They won’t be banned. It will be suspended for 2 years, and they will be free to play next year (if it goes ahead), the fine will need to be paid.

It'd be an incredible show of weakness to drop a 2 year ban to suspended.

The smarter money has to be on a 1 year ban

 

[Garry Buck]

What’s the point in even posting about this? We all know the outcome already.

They will not be banned and will 100% be playing in the Champions League next season.

 

[Dave Smith]

What’s the point in even posting about this? We all know the outcome already.

They will not be banned and will 100% be playing in the Champions League next season.

This. City will win because FFP is against EU laws. My view on the City case is that they have broken the rules but the rules they have broken are unfair. I know a lot of people are fans of FFP but for me they are anti-competitive laws brought in due to the biggest clubs in Europe essentially creating a cartel to solidify their own positions.

For me, FFP would be fine if there was a world wide salary cap that every club had to abide by or it just prevented clubs taken on loans they cannot afford. Personally, I really do not get how if someone wants to spend their money on a football club (that mostly works on a free market principal) with no strings attached they cannot, yet the biggest clubs (see Barca) can take on massive loans that they can barely afford (and probably cannot afford now) and that is ok. Thus, all FFP does is to esaure the biggest players now will be there forever as they have the biggest income.

I know a lot of the PL top 6, Bayern, Spanish top 2, Juve etc fans think this is all hunky dory because they are currently the top dogs, but what FFP has created is to help solidify very uncompetitive leagues (barring the PL) and CL. Further, if such a model was implemented in the 1890's, then teams such as Utd and the Dippers would be also rans as Sunderland and Villa would be the big boys.

So for me, until a world wide salary cap comes in FFP is just a monopolistic law that is only their to support the richest/biggest.

That said, if City do get banned it will be hilarious and I will be straight on the banter wagon but that doesn't hide that the law itself stinks and the sooner it goes away (unless a world wide salary cap is introduced) the better.

 

[sun_tzu]

I just skimmed through 30 pages of legal stuff that I couldn’t fully understand

Have you got a link to it?

 

[tenpoless]

The FFP has always been a joke.

 

[Fox_Chrys]

However immoral their case may be, if technicalities were not followed then yes it could void the decision, I hope that UEFA were really not that stupid.

Many legal cases are decided every month based on legal process not been followed properly.

 

[Offsideagain]

Have you got a link to it?

www.tas-cas.org

I see some are saying FFP is ‘a joke’ and even illegal. I think the 70mph speed limit is a joke as is liquidating a company and startling a new one the next say. Point is, they are the Law/rules and you either abide by them or you don’t. It’s pointless moaning that they are unfair, that’s nothing to do with it and this is what City can’t grasp or at least the owners who are used to getting what they want. Being £400m in debt is not illegal but United are and probably more than that.

 

[Dave Smith]

www.tas-cas.org

I see some are saying FFP is ‘a joke’ and even illegal. I think the 70mph speed limit is a joke as is liquidating a company and startling a new one the next say. Point is, they are the Law/rules and you either abide by them or you don’t. It’s pointless moaning that they are unfair, that’s nothing to do with it and this is what City can’t grasp or at least the owners who are used to getting what they want. Being £400m in debt is not illegal but United are and probably more than that.

Poor analogy. A crash at 70mph is statistically a lot less deadly than one at 90mph. FFP is equivalent to telling motorists that they have to drive at a speed where they get the poorest mpg and they are not allowed anything but a oil/petrol based engine as the oil companies want to ensure that their business model is locked in perpetually.

That is the reason why I think City will win, as FFP is against EU law, so I am not sure how it can be legally enforced. Obviously, if they get the ban it will be hilarious because it is them and the banter will be great. However, that doesn't take away the fact that FFP is both illegal from agreed market laws and has only been implemented to help the biggest, richest and strongest clubs.

 

[rotherham_red]

Poor analogy. A crash at 70mph is statistically a lot less deadly than one at 90mph. FFP is equivalent to telling motorists that they have to drive at a speed where they get the poorest mpg and they are not allowed anything but a oil/petrol based engine as the oil companies want to ensure that their business model is locked in perpetually.

That is the reason why I think City will win, as FFP is against EU law, so I am not sure how it can be legally enforced. Obviously, if they get the ban it will be hilarious because it is them and the banter will be great. However, that doesn't take away the fact that FFP is both illegal from agreed market laws and has only been implemented to help the biggest, richest and strongest clubs.

EU Law isn't applicable in a private, by invite only competition

 

[Fox_Chrys]

www.tas-cas.org

I see some are saying FFP is ‘a joke’ and even illegal. I think the 70mph speed limit is a joke as is liquidating a company and startling a new one the next say. Point is, they are the Law/rules and you either abide by them or you don’t. It’s pointless moaning that they are unfair, that’s nothing to do with it and this is what City can’t grasp or at least the owners who are used to getting what they want. Being £400m in debt is not illegal but United are and probably more than that.

Just to clarify, FFP is not a law, breaching it is "not" illegal, its a contract term for the sport. If a contract conflicts with law, then law "always" wins.