I agree that (in my view at least) the timing isn't coincidental.
CAS could have rejected our appeal within minutes of receiving it, yet they sat on it for months. Why? My suspicion is that CAS were expecting a quick decison from UEFA meaning that, whatever the verdict, they couldeither hear the appeal (if we were found guilty) or drop it (if we weren't). So there was no point in rejecting it out of hand only to have to pick it up again shortly after.
I've also said on here that I believe UEFA were hoping CAS got them off the hook by accepting our appeal and finding that UEFA had abused their own process. That would probably have been their preferred outcome as then they don't have to face a war with us but the mud thrown by them and Der Spiegel still sticks. In essence, we got off on a technicality. So both were waiting for the other to make a move, a bit like 4 cars at a mini-roundabout.
I suspect that both have been talking to each other (which is what Ben Rumsby is probably alluding to) and in order to allow the log-jam to be removed, CAS have made their decision, leaving the field to UEFA. That, to me at least, would explain the tweet from the Athletic last night preparing the ground for UEFA's decision to be announced in due course. One theory I've heard from a source I spoke to is that the sequence of events now allows parties to lobby UEFA. So the likes of those rats Tebas, Parry, Gill et al have been publicly tipped the wink about the potential lack of a ban and have a month to try to stiffen UEFA's spine. Usually knowing the source of a leak indicates the motive for it but it's not clear where last night's news came to The Athletic from.
It could be from City possibly although I doubt that. It could be from UEFA themselves, in order to manage the news or test our reslove to fight this. Or it could be from a party within UEFA with malicious intent, to try to get people lobbying for a harsher punishment, as I said earlier. It will be interesting to see if we were to get fined say €10,000 or some other derisory amount, for a minor technical administrative or accounting breach, if the club grudgingly accept it.
But one thing's pretty much for sure, UEFA have now got to show their hand and we aren't backing down if it's any more serious that that.