I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I believe uefa went ahead with a case that they may well have known was shaky and knowing we would appeal and have gambled on imposing a draconian sentence, perhaps believing the ban would be reduced at appeal. This is then a win win for them. "We did city, they appealed, they still got a ban" etc.
It's an advanced version of the original case. "We did city, clipped their wings, kept them in their place" what they didnt bank on originally was the explosive growth in our business on and particularly off the field.
I think they've gambled believing the odds of SOME form of punishment remaining after an appeal made it a justifiable gamble. Let's be real here, if we are not completely exonerated (which is by no means guaranteed) uefa have won. The narrative is set for all time, namely "City are cheats. We proved it"
That is why I believe City refused any deal that may have been offered, unlike the first time around. We have gone all in in this. It really is win or bust.
Reading this thread, I am struck by the fact that Bluemooners have got much closer to the truth than the national press. Ok, we are naturally biassed and some of our posts are wide of the mark but, generally speaking, we present a strong analytical case.
@Prestwich_Blue has a much better grasp of the technicalities than any of the scribblers. @nmc produced a marvellous analysis of the psychological dimension to this case. There are many other decent contributions and this is without access to facts which the press could obtain but are reluctant to do so.
Nobody reading the press would get the impression that there is a huge battle going on between the G14, who have largely captured UEFA, and elements within the organization who want a fairer more balanced approach. The European Clubs association is silent -- the cartel is in the process of capturing them, too. What you might call the second rank of European clubs are being damaged and there seems to be no-one standing up for them.
As an example, take UEFA's boasting about the success of FFP. It has actually damaged European football. Oh, say Uefa, look how the losses have reduced. That may be so, but at an enormous cost. No paper has pointed out that balance sheets are a mess: large borrowings and debt mean clubs are to no position to handle the financial effects of coronavirus. As for competitiveness, look at leagues all over Europe: from the largest to the smallest mostly they are dominated by just one club. France, Italy, Germany know who the champions will be before a ball is kicked. In the smaller leagues the situation is even worse. No paper has done any analysis. Only England is an exception due, of course, to the filthy oil money of Chelsea and City. Bluemoon has discussed this, where is the contribution of the Times or Guardian? No, they prefer to major on City's 'sins' and get the clicks.
So, Bluemooners try to make sense of all this, while the national media scribblers go to the pub, and they call us paranoid.
When UEFA implodes and the G14 run football for their own benefit with a closed shop competition, everyone will ask what happened. The answer is that the press will have let us all down in favour of clickbait.
Keep at it blues, we will win in the end.
Probably a threat to UEFA......Watch out, we will go all the way, if necessary.One thing keeps niggling away at me. When the original sanction was handed out in February the club released a statement in which they said they would "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. "
It's the bit in bold that worries me, does this mean that the club are fully aware of the landscape and know this is merely the second phase of a long drawn out process that hopefully sees us exonerated.
I have heard a small number of journos and a sprinkling of posters on this thread express the belief that we are in this for the longhaul and that this may infact end up being taken to the Swiss federal supreme Court. If this is so then we need to be prepared for the original decision to be upheld by CAS and the subsequent distress, worry and turmoil that will no doubt come our way.
Just a thought. Sorry!
It’s not UEFA and the Cartel who are being charged though, it’s us. Doesn’t matter what we have on them because it’s not that that’s being looked at.As much as I’d love the club to come out swinging with cast iron evidence that would take down UEFA & the cartel clubs I find it hard to think we have anything substantial on them.
The notion that we have steadfastly sat on it in the face of an onslaught rather than at least put some of it out there as a warning seems fanciful at best to me.
Which again highlights City’s confidence that they can refute these allegations. It feels like one side is partaking in a high level of brinkmanship. The stakes could not be higher for ourselves and, in some ways, it is quite alarming how soon we will find out.
According to the FBI it was Iran a nd drug money, mind you most of the banks have been doing the sameAll this about City's accounts and what our auditors might have missed and when they might have missed is fascinating. I can't help wondering how much trouble UEFA might go to now to trace the origin of payments to Liverpool from their money launderers. I wonder if Khaldoon can give them a bit of a hand.
Got to hold our nerve, keep the faith and trust in the Club to finally clear our name of any wrong doing..!
This time only a slate wiped clean / case closed result will be acceptable..!
It's dragged on for far too long, I for one am not alarmed at it finally coming to a head, on the contrary, let's get it done..!
The 'in the first instance' bit is just another indication of how bullish City are in this. It's a warning shot that we will go all the way if necessary, even with a full exoneration from CAS I don't think that will be the last of it from ourselves anyway.One thing keeps niggling away at me. When the original sanction was handed out in February the club released a statement in which they said they would "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. "
It's the bit in bold that worries me, does this mean that the club are fully aware of the landscape and know this is merely the second phase of a long drawn out process that hopefully sees us exonerated.
I have heard a small number of journos and a sprinkling of posters on this thread express the belief that we are in this for the longhaul and that this may infact end up being taken to the Swiss federal supreme Court. If this is so then we need to be prepared for the original decision to be upheld by CAS and the subsequent distress, worry and turmoil that will no doubt come our way.
Just a thought. Sorry!
Very good point George. UEFA stands in the way of the Cartel getting their European Super League. They'd be equally happy to see us take UEFA down as to see UEFA take us down. So they see it as a win-win but some of them are going to end up as the casualties here.