Manchester City’s Premier League rivals look set to benefit after UEFA banned the team from the Champions League for the next two years.
UEFA announced that Man City had been banned from participating in any European club competition in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 season over ‘serious breaches’ of financial fair play.
The Premier League side will also be forced to pay a sum of £25million, although the decision is still subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
City have confirmed they intend to appeal but, if they are unsuccessful, the fifth-placed team will be in line to qualify for the Champions League.
While UEFA and the Premier League have not said what will happen regarding qualification spots, Article 4.08 of UEFA’s admission criteria for European club competitions says: ‘A club which is not admitted to the competition is replaced by the next best-placed club in the top domestic championship of the same association, provided the new club fulfils the admission criteria.’
This new development will be seen as a huge boost to Sheffield United, Tottenham, Everton, Manchester United, Wolves and Arsenal, who are all looking to make up ground on Chelsea who are fourth on the table.
A statement from Manchester City read: ‘The club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position.
‘In December 2018, the Uefa chief investigator publicly previewed the outcome and sanction he intended to be delivered to Manchester City, before any investigation had even begun.
‘The subsequent flawed and consistently leaked Uefa process he oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver.
‘The club has formally complained to the Uefa disciplinary body, a complaint which was validated by a CAS ruling.
‘Simply put, this is a case initiated by Uefa, prosecuted by Uefa and judged by Uefa.
‘With this prejudicial process now over, the club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.’
