Manchester City: Senior football figures concerned club could play in Champions League next season
Senior football figures are concerned that Manchester City could compete in the Champions League next season despite potential relegation from the Premier League due to financial regulation breaches. The issue hinges on whether the club's qualification via tournament success overrides domestic disciplinary sanctions.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant regulatory loophole in European football governance regarding the intersection of domestic financial penalties and international competition eligibility.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Manchester City won the Champions League in 2023 with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan
Senior figures within English football are concerned that Manchester City could play in the Champions League next season even if they are relegated from the Premier League for breaching financial regulations.
It centres around the possibility that City win the Champions League, which would provide qualification for the competition as titleholders - regardless of their status in the English domestic pyramid.
BBC Sport has been told that there is no automatic mechanism to remove City from a European competition they qualify for on sporting merit.
An independent commission found City guilty of all charges related to inflating sponsorship revenue by £830m by using sham contracts , as well as hiding other expenses worth an additional £90m.
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