UEFA FFP investigation - CAS decision to be announced Monday, 13th July 9.30am BST

[SebastianBlue]

I don’t know any Qatari expats (living in Qatar makes it difficult obviously) but it’s certainly true of British expats towards the UK.

In terms of my view on Qatar and the UAE and whether Qatar would try and screw with the UAE via City, as I say, it’s never gonna happen. I’ve got fairly close links with QSI. Qatar still sees the UAE as a football ally and PSG still receive the cold shoulder.

Fair enough. You’re obviously closer than it to me, so I’ll favour your analysis over the press and expats.

 

[Parisian]

Yves Leterme is on record saying if the allegations are true then we should be banned from the Champions League, this arose when the der Spiegel stories first arose.

I think UEFA will impose a ban, I wonder if it will be suspended though. As in they get their punishment but it isn’t enough to cause a legal backlash.

If they ban us we will go nuclear on UEFA and FFP I have no doubt about it.

That Leterme guy was also the one pushing for a new investigation on PSG.

Dunno if he is just on the tough line or if he is on the cartel lobby side.

 

[Ajm1985]

I do sincerely hope that all these journalists who have such a strong moral obligation to report on City's financing and our "doping" will apply these standards to the World Cup when it's in Qatar in 2022. I hope they stand by their strong morals that they've harped on about all year. Somehow though, I doubt the ****s will miss an opportunity to go and watch the World Cup on an all expenses paid for trip.

Wankers

The morally conscious journalists definitely did that for the Russian World cup...just a country that annexed a neighbour (amongst a litany of other horrific actions), but who gives a shit when they get the logistics in order for a tournament

 

[wattle]

At no stage during the period in 2012/13? when we were being investigated and found guilty did the club release statements to say they have done nothing wrong. This time the club have strenuously denied any wrong doing and seem more than happy to go legal on this. To me that says everything. I totally trust the club that if they say they've done nothing wrong, then they've done nothing wrong.

 

[cptaidan88]

You are allowed related sponsors as long as they are fair value......
So the only really issue is if City said it wasn't a related sponsor but now UEFA have evidence otherwise.

Confident we would now get a hell of a lot more then the £40m Etihad deal from outside investment so the Question is why would City continue with Etihad if it's coming out of the Sheikh pocket?

We have a settlement with UEFA on the fair value of the sponsorship from related parties, so that is categorically not the issue. They can't or wont pursue us retrospectively on that.

I'm waiting to see what information emerges as City have said the emails are out of context, but Sheikh Mansour providing funds directly to us and disguising it as sponsorship from another source is a big no no, not just in the football world.

If it transpires that we weren't receiving the values we stated from our sponsors, then I think we would be bang to rights. However, we have (and had) smart people working for us, so even if the money did ultimately come from Sheikh Mansour, I would expect a paper trail that evidences the money went through the sponsors legitimately first, rather than directly to us. We were audited at the time, so I would hope we have that bit covered as it is fucking basic, but that would be the only thing I would be concerned by.

If we were able to tick in the amounts coming into our account from an Etihad (or Aabar, Etisalat etc) bank account, then I don't see much happening from this investigation - but again, I'll wait and see what information emerges before jumping to conclusions that the world is out to get us.

The accusations levelled at us - albeit on the basis of the hacked emails, warranted an investigation, and if the shoe was on the other foot, I would want any other club investigated for the same thing. It is perfectly conceivable that the contents of the emails are legitimate, and yet there still have been no actual wrongdoing.

If we've done nothing wrong we have nothing to worry about, as our response today suggests.

 

[Rolee]

Can someone clear this up for me please.

In City's statement it reads 'The New York Times report citing 'people familiar with the case' is therefore extremely concerning.'

Was' people familiar with the case' written in the NYT article or not?

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Believe Matt Scott just been hauled off Talkshit for ranting.

Legal team.

 

[doobyedoobye]

We must know exactly what info UEFA has on us and we must also know whether we are guilty of any wrong doing. It would be pretty reckless to issue a statement saying we are not guilty and then be found guilty...??

 

[hihosilva]

Believe Matt Scott just been hauled off Talkshit for ranting.

Legal team.

What did he say?

 

[mayo31]

I deactivated my Twitter account due to hysteria and just come on here hoping to get a clear view from posters I respect but my God we have some flappers