Man City could still play in Champions League, claims report
Pep GuardiolaManchester City could still compete in the Champions League next season even if they are relegated from the top flight, according to a report by BBC Sport.
Senior figures within English football have expressed deep concern over the loophole, which could see the club rub shoulders with Europe’s elite despite their recent financial breach verdict.
The loophole facing English football
If Pep Guardiola’s side win the Champions League this season, they would automatically qualify for next year’s tournament as holders.
This entry route exists regardless of where the club finishes in the domestic league pyramid, meaning a relegation sanction would not block their path.
BBC Sport reports that there is currently no automatic mechanism in place to bar a club from European competition if they qualify through sporting merit.
Rival clubs and football administrators are highly concerned about the terrible optics this scenario would create.
Allowing a heavily sanctioned club to enjoy the massive financial rewards of elite European football is seen as entirely unacceptable by many in the game.
The issue with European licensing
To play in Europe, every club must secure a Uefa licence, which is handed out by the Football Association but managed by the Premier League.
However, these licences are granted based on current financial health rather than historical rule breaches.
Speaking to BBC Sport, an unnamed source explained the difficulty in blocking the licence:
licences are awarded on the basis of current financial performance, so the grounds to refuse one are unclear.
The standard reasons for denying a licence include unpaid debts to other teams, outstanding player wages, or tax issues.
Other barriers, such as match-fixing convictions or multi-club ownership conflicts, do not apply to the Manchester club.
Another insider told BBC Sport that the licensing issue had been brought up, but finding a solution would require a level of coordinated planning that has been missing up to this point.
Past battles and future sanctions
The independent commission recently found City guilty of inflating their sponsorship income by £830 million using sham contracts.
They were also found to have hidden an extra £90 million in expenses.
Without these manoeuvres, the commission stated that the club would have breached profit and sustainability rules in nine consecutive seasons between 2009 and 2018.
City have strongly denied all the allegations, labelling the entire process a “Premier League conspiracy” and registering an official appeal last week.
If their appeal fails, the club could face severe punishments including massive points deductions, transfer bans, or immediate expulsion from the league.
Even if a domestic points penalty stops them qualifying via the Premier League, they could still earn a European spot by winning a cup.
They are scheduled to play Brighton in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on 28 October, which offers a route into the Conference League, while the FA Cup offers a Europa League place.
Uefa’s difficult position
Uefa cannot intervene while the Premier League’s internal appeal process is ongoing, but its financial control body is expected to discuss the potential outcomes.
The Premier League verdict did find City guilty of five breaches of Uefa’s own financial rules.
While Uefa could try to open a fresh disciplinary case to block City, the historical nature of the offences makes this legally complicated.
City famously overturned a two-year European ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2020 because Uefa’s charges were deemed time-barred.
There is a strong fear among administrators that the club could successfully defeat Uefa in court once again if they are blocked.
Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the entire appeal process will even be wrapped up before the current season ends.
