Manchester City
Question marks over FFP’s future after Manchester City’s successful appeal
The blue half of Manchester breathed a huge sigh of relief on July13, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned their two-year ban from the Champions League. Fans could now relax: Pep Guardiola would not leave, Kevin De Bruyne and other stars would not be tempted away, and the progress that the club has made over the last decade would not be halted.
The spotlight instead will now turn to UEFA, and the future of its policy designed to restrict irresponsible spending – or, depending on your point of view, protect the elite status of the continent’s wealthiest clubs.
UEFA accused City of artificially inflating their sponsorship income, yet the CAS ruling stated that: “Most of the alleged breaches reported by the adjudicatory chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body were either not established or time-barred.” In other words, the evidence brought forward by UEFA was out of date. The regulations state that Financial Fair Play (FFP) cases should be brought forward within five years, yet most of UEFA’s evidence concerned the period of 2012 to 2016. That which wasn’t out of date was insufficient to uphold the original decision.
UEFA argued that City’s failure to co-operate – for which they have been fined € 10 million – meant that the time limits could be ignored in this instance. CAS disagreed.
The verdict says as much about UEFA’s flaws as an organisation as the failure of FFP. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said: “It’s no surprise that in a serious court Manchester City have won this case because UEFA are an organisation that simply cannot organise their own disciplinary measures.”
In principle, FFP still has its supporters. When asked about the verdict, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: “I don’t think it was a good day for football – I think FFP is a good idea. It’s there for protecting teams, protecting the competition. I really hope that FFP stays.”
La Liga president Javier Tebas
agreed: “We all know what City do. We all know they’re trying to find a way around the FFP rules. City will be in the Champions League next season because the CAS did things badly, not because City have done things properly.”
The financial implications of COVID-19 meant that tweaks to FFP would be required anyway. UEFA has already decided financial statements for 2020 and 2021 will be rolled up into a single accounting period, but more drastic changes could follow.
While the policy still has its advocates, confidence in UEFA to correctly implement it is severely damaged. In the aftermath of the verdict, Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho summarised the confusion around the situation: “In any case, it’s a disaster. I’m not saying Manchester City is guilty. I’m saying if you’re not guilty you don’t pay. Even with a pound. I think it is going to be the end of Financial Fair Play because there is no point.”
Meanwhile, City have come out fighting, and will continue to drive the case against FFP. Manager Pep Guardiola insisted that the club deserves an apology now that their innocence has been proven, while also taking a swipe at the eight Premier League clubs who wrote to UEFA in March urging them to implement the ban.
He added: “The elite clubs have to
“City will be in the Champions League next season because the CAS did things badly, not because City have done things properly” Javier Tebas, La Liga president
understand we deserve to be here.”
This, ultimately, is the heart of the debate. City believe that the allegations against them are nothing to do with fairness, but designed to prevent them upsetting the apple cart of Europe’s elite. Their owners see no reason why they should be prevented from spending in order to bridge the gap to Europe’s established order.
UEFA, on the other hand, point to the significant reduction of debt across European football in the last few years, and believe that implementing FFP has made the game far more financially sustainable. Its abolition would encourage more reckless spending, and invite more billionaire takeovers of clubs, like those seen at Chelsea and Paris Saint-German, as well as Manchester City.
This verdict is the latest chapter in the long-running saga between Manchester City and UEFA. The boos that still ring out around the Etihad Stadium when the anthem is played ahead of Champions League ties are unlikely to stop any time soon.