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

[KS55]

This is going to get interesting for sure...

It sounds from the rumblings that the club are arming for all out legal war with UEFA and a lot of posters seem to think that if we go to a "traditional" law court then FFP will be binned (I really hope so)

But is there any precedent for a law court ruling on a sporting bodies regulations?

From a business point of view FFP is surely illegal - like other blues I agree that a rule that stops an owner from investing in his own business breaks international law (I think?)

But from a sporting point of view a ruling body like UEFA can impose any rules they want... And any club wanting to participate in that sport / competition has to abide by those rules? SO if they brought out a rule saying that all players had to wear odd socks then they would have to? (stupid example I know)

So I have no way of knowing how it will play out in a court (if it gets that far) I hope FFP get's folded into a nice package and UEFA have to bend over and spread their cheeks to "file it" ;)

1. Bosman court ruled players must have freedom of contract
2. Uefa cannot have any rules they like. The law of the land prevails. In this case they have special dispensation from EU Commission, not necessarily lawful. See Dupont case.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

It would indeed, my point being there are certain standards bigger than any institution.

You’d agree that UEFA could, should and would be prosecuted if they operated a ”whites only” policy? Well maybe, just maybe, anti-competitive practices could run foul of EU law if seriously put to the test.

What do you mean 'if'? ;)

 

[mccity]

This is like some sort of football Cold War. With Friday's news being the first strike in a proxy war.

 

[Petethemancinleeds]

It's all a fix just like Eurovision. Anyway so that everyone can learn the words in advance the clubs new song starts with ***k Uefa, the middle line being ***k Uefa , finishing with a rousing ***k Uefa.
For 100% mancs, UA fore is fine, u16s, stuff UEFA is preferred, This song is best sung during the anthem and ideally throughout our last home game in Europe v Real Madrid.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

I think that has been evident with the premier league and VAR decisions this year as well, I expect on Wednesday night to be electric atmosphere, the players will hopefully respond by taking West Ham apart and then when Madrid arrive it will get ramped up even more. I’d just love it for Pep to announce a contract extension at his press conference on Tuesday when someone asks him if he’s going.

If he had any taste he'd walk in draped in a Catalan flag, answer every question in Catalan and then sign a new contract in front of the bastards.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Fuck me there's a lot of happy journos out there. We're taking some right fucking pelters. The Times are loving it. Saying none of our achievements are worth anything now as we're just cheats.

They will be laughing all the way to the bank, how many half baked stories will they scribe about City before this reaches its conclusion? The lemmings desperate for our demise will want to read about it, clicks on their website means lots of ad space to be sold.

 

[Blue Maverick]

https://apple.news/AcvKf8csaNCKEbm8UNOh3IA

Piece in the Guardian that is well written. Buckle up boys and girls, this is going to get interesting.

There’s something I didn’t think of, when it playing champions league lets go all Harlem Globtrotters and play teams from around the world for a shit load of money on champions league nights, if we play say 6 games over the season at £50 million for FIFA that more than covers the CL money.

 

[tonea2003]

Must be a weird life to assume everything you support is lily white and unquestionable. You don't get such consequences for doing absolutely nothing.

we are being accused of something very specific which we say we didn't do

and how do you square this from the club statement

The Club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position.

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

One of the frequent suggestions in the event of the ban being upheld is that we play lucrative friendlies during CL weeks.

Sounds like a simple solution but it probably isn't. Firstly, would these friendlies be at home or overseas? If at home who would go to them? Not many I'd suggest (I have no interest in these games other than to see how pre season is shaping up). If they were played overseas the travelling would be ridiculous as they would have to be outside Europe generally for commercial / opponents reasons. I don't see this as a huge money spinner actually and not really doable in terms of replacing CL income.

 

[Parisian]

Whatever happens, things are only going to get worse. If the Champions League stays in its current form with massive amounts of money and dodgy rules preventing anyone outside of the cartel from competing, it has no legitimacy as the most prestigious competition. But if UEFA are fucked off, then it's likely that any replacement will be even worse, with some sort of invitation-only alternative (perhaps with the illusion of qualification) purely designed to make money for the already rich clubs. And make no mistake, our owners would be as much in favour of that as anyone else provided we were on the right side of it.

True.

Disgusting all the recent changes on european cups. Seems like they want similar model with closed league like NBA (or all other US sports) that can rake in money without much more effort on the pitch.

I won't lie about the fact i enjoy the opposition of the big clubs in european cups but it has to be earned on the pitch : both qualification and prize money. Now, big clubs are earning this out of pitch with change of rules : guaranteed spot for 4 teams in the top 4 leagues whereas 3 and 4 had to play qualification before (if they are so good, they should qualify anyway) and the coefficient money scam.

And you are right about our owners being as bad in that regard. They would gladly endorse it if it benefit our clubs.

 

[Len Rum]

I broadly agree with what you are saying but I think we can safely say that at this stage FFP is not in the dock and not at all up for discussion at CAS
I listened to the 93:20 pod* and from what was said on there and from what appears to have come out City are not arguing the rights/wrongs as they don’t believe they have to. City will argue 1) the time period of any alleged wrong doing is covered in the previous settlement and also 2) even if it’s not, UEFA’s own statue of limitations of 5 years prevents them from investigating, never mind charging and sentencing a club
City appear to be in this for all or nothing. City better be right!
I find it inconceivable that a club this big with the recourses they have to be this wrong. Putting to one side the rather unprofessional and crass emails, the rules are the rules and the settlement, time periods etc should have been fully understood by anyone at the club with any dealings with the legal and financial matters.
I think UEFA have pushed this due to political pressure and hoped City would fold, come to the table and negotiate this out. City in their belief didn’t need to because they think they are in the right but there are plenty of people sat in prison who ‘believed’ they did no wrong
Like I said, City better be right.....
*well worth the subscription fee

Just caught me on the way out to the Brexit thread
I thought UEFA just sneaked the first committee's recommendation through in time to meet the five year deadline?
If what you say is true then City are arguing on principles as opposed to detailed evidence?
But that seems contrary to Khaldoon's reference to City having detailed information as to the club's 'innocence'?

 

[journolud]

No I thought this was an important matter that deserved it's own thread. Maybe the expertise or information is not available at this time? But I thought it might be good to discuss in isolation. Mods feel free to combine if you don't agree ;-)

Looks like they didn’t ;-)

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Whatever happens, things are only going to get worse. If the Champions League stays in its current form with massive amounts of money and dodgy rules preventing anyone outside of the cartel from competing, it has no legitimacy as the most prestigious competition. But if UEFA are fucked off, then it's likely that any replacement will be even worse, with some sort of invitation-only alternative (perhaps with the illusion of qualification) purely designed to make money for the already rich clubs. And make no mistake, our owners would be as much in favour of that as anyone else provided we were on the right side of it.

Yes any breakaway league would be like Kerry Packer's cricket circus (for those with long memories) It would be a good event for the empty seat counters though. The irony is that if UEFA split the revenues more fairly from the Champions League/ Europa League giving a better chance to teams like Ajax, Benfica, Zenit etc the CL could be fantastic. I was in Spain last week and met an Athletico Madrid fan who said she loved what City are doing. She and her husband said Spanish football had been destroyed by the dominance of Barca and Real Madrid.

 

[SWP's back]

Again, unlike some here I'm not wasting my life combing through to figure out what we did and didn't do. We clearly arent innocent and if you can't admit maybe we've skirted rules to get where we are then it's pointless.

Feel free to log out and forget you password anytime you want fella. I doubt anyone would be too upset.

 

[BosnianBlue]

Responding to your reply above to another poster.
What you say has some validity.
But having been as you say 'creative' , it's best to prevent this information from being hacked into and to make sure that such 'creativity' cannot be interpreted as rule breaking ( that's still to be resolved).

Agree, of course, but shit happened, in the big scheme of things it was good move. Let's hope we'll limit or remove this potential damage.

 

[The Clansman]

Yes any breakaway league would be like Kerry Packer's cricket circus (for those with long memories) It would be a good event for the empty seat counters though. The irony is that if UEFA split the revenues more fairly from the Champions League/ Europa League giving a better chance to teams like Ajax, Benfica, Zenit etc the CL could be fantastic. I was in Spain last week and met an Athletico Madrid fan who said she loved what City are doing. She and her husband said Spanish football had been destroyed by the dominance of Barca and Real Madrid.

Bloody hell - Kerry Packer. That takes me back...

 

[aguero93:20]

What do you mean 'if'? ;)

Now now, they do have Token Arab Nasser Al-Khalaifi.

 

[George Hannah]

we are being accused of something very specific which we say we didn't do

and how do you square this from the club statement

The Club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position.

No, guilty as charged. The heinous crime of our owner investing in the club in exactly the same way as our rivals.

 

[City Raider]

I honestly believe CAS have no bias in this which should play into our hands.

I hope so mate. Lots of talk about winning on due process. Fuck that, guilty people get off on due process, we’ll be tainted for ever. We need to be totally exonerated and end ffpr. Bring the fucking house crashing down

 

[Kenward Garg]

Think I’ve found a Bluemoon soulmate / Bromance lol

That made me smile. Thanks and I've got to say a big thanks to whichever genius put this forum together for I've enjoyed it immensely since I was so kindly allowed to sign up.