Like the PL's relationship with the Red Top Mafia & Spuds, UEFA were terrified by the spectre of the ESL, so danced to any tune the G14 plucked on their battered banjo.
Because UEFA & the PL are essentially private members clubs, I don't think they understood how vehemently City would deny & defend these breaches, & the problems it'd bring them.
In 2014, Khaldoon did warn that we'd take a pinch that time, but if they came after us again, rather than pay a £30m fine, he'd spend that on the world's best lawyers & sink the lot of them!
UEFA's a private members club, so in their sphere we operate under their rules regardless of how unfair some may seem. But the moment we stepped out of their realm & into the real world where you can make all the accusations you like, but you actually need hard physical evidence to go with them, UEFA were essentially fucked. EG:
UEFA - The cheating bastards City got Sheikh Mansour to give Jaber Mohammed £30m, which he gave to City, claiming it was from a bridging loan on behalf of Etisalat.
CAS - Proof?
UEFA - Our Spidey senses were tingling.
CAS - So no bank transfer statements from HRH to Jaber Mohammed? No recordings? No witnesses?
UEFA - Nope! Just our tingling Spidey senses.
CAS - Get the fuck out, & try not to let the door slam you on the arse!
As for you City, hold this £10m fine for non-cooperation.
City - Coolio. HRH, dya wanna get this bill or shall we?
UEFA - Drat & double drat! We'd have got City if not for those pesky interfering CAS bastards!
As for appeals, the PL have a nine person panel, of which three are chosen at random to adjudicate. If we choose to appeal their decision, a further three are chosen to look over the case again.
The only way we can appeal beyond the PL, is if we believe there was something wrong with the actual nuts & bolts of the process, but NOT with the PL's decision itself.
With the government talking about setting up IREF in this Parliament, the PL are now desperate to get this process resolved in their favour before it's taken out of their hands by the Independent Regulator for English Football.
After announcing our tribunal's to be held this autumn, everyone's awaiting with interest the Telegraph's claim that the PL are to make a major announcement regarding City's breaches this week.
I'd hazard a bet that the PL are wishing they'd never commenced this bullshit, as they're drowning in a vat of excrement, all from their own secretions.