A DOUBLE BLOW FOR CITY
MAN CITY EURO BAN LIFTED SO FOXES MUST RECOVER FROM DEFEAT TO FINISH IN TOP FOUR
LEICESTER City have been hit with a second quickfire blow to their Champions League hopes after Manchester City’s Uefa ban was overturned.
After their 4-1 capitulation at Bournemouth on Sunday evening, Leicester received more bad news yesterday morning, with fifth place no longer enough to secure a place in Europe’s top competition.
Manchester City received a two-year suspension from Uefa tournaments in February after they were deemed to have broken financial rules.
But yesterday the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced that Manchester City’s appeal against the ban had been upheld, allowing them to compete in next year’s Champions League, and denting Leicester’s hopes.
Now Leicester have to finish in fourth place, a position they will concede for the first time since September if Manchester United beat Southampton at Old Trafford last night.
However, with Leicester still to play United, destiny remains in their own hands, with three wins enough to secure a top four spot. Manager Brendan Rodgers, despite Sunday’s collapse on the south coast, still holds belief ahead of Thursday’s home clash with Sheffield United.
“We can’t dwell on it because we’re into another tough game on Thursday – it’s about finding the way to make sure we get over the line and achieve our goal, which was to secure European football,” he said.
“We missed a huge opportunity to jump into third, but it’s why I always talk about waiting until the end of the season because these are pressure games.
“We’ll go away and pick our spirits up and if we get three points on Thursday, then it refocuses us then for the remaining games.
“I’ve always believed. We need to get back on it and fight for the next game.”
I’ve always believed. We need to get back on it and fight for the next game