Manchester City’s future hinges on the trial of the century. While awaiting the official statement that will confirm or deny The Athletic’s leaks, the football world is beginning to ask what could happen to a good portion of the titles won during Pep Guardiola’s glorious era at the Etihad. As for the 2023 UEFA Champions League, the picture seems clear.
Manchester City defeated Inter Milan in Istanbul to win its first treble. A feat with few precedents in English football, and one now in the eye of the hurricane as a result of what could be a sanction at both the national and international level for the club, following the study of up to 115 possible infractions over the last decade and a half.
Under UEFA legislation, it seems very difficult for Manchester City to lose the 2023 Champions League. While Europe’s top soccer body can strip titles or honors at any time, in this case it would clash with its own statutes and internal regulations.
Except in cases of doping or match-fixing, UEFA has a five-year window to strip international titles. This would clash head-on with the end of Manchester City’s trial in England, as appeals will surely follow once the ruling is official. Likewise, because it is a matter outside match-fixing or doping, such a path would create an unprecedented shift in the entity’s legislation.
To all of this, add that the investigation against Manchester City dates back to 2018 and concerns financial irregularities. That is where, for now, the Premier League’s Independent Commission understands that possible missteps occurred. Everything that happened afterward is not under judicial review under these terms and, therefore, will not face the same punishment as the competitions in the period under review.
What Awaits Manchester City at Trial?
Only unprecedented action in UEFA’s history could put Manchester City’s Champions League at risk. Different sanctions could indeed occur on the international stage, including a ban from participating in the tournament.
There will also surely be sanctions regarding player purchases in the coming years. If that victory in the European Cup against Inter Milan had occurred before June 30, 2018, the story would be more than different, according to outlets like The Guardian.
Let no one think that Manchester City’s case will be resolved sooner rather than later. Not only is the Independent Commission’s official statement still pending, but so are the club’s actions when it arrives.
As we said, an appeals process is expected that will be long and, given so many possible irregularities, an imminent resolution is not expected, far from it, if we compare it to cases like Everton or Nottingham Forest in recent seasons.
Threat of Multiple Lawsuits Against Manchester City
Manchester City’s main problem going forward is not the Champions League. It will be the possible sanctions the Independent Commission may impose in a case without precedent regarding the Premier League’s financial championship.
Another major problem the team, dominated by Middle Eastern millions, could face is the lawsuits different clubs are pursuing against the entity.
They understand that, throughout the process of possible irregularities, the club has been damaged both economically and sportingly, and practically everyone involved in the championship. An avalanche of lawsuits is not ruled out when the first official ruling arrives.
That is what is expected for Manchester City in the coming months. It is impossible to foresee or imagine a sanction before knowing the next steps of the case. In the short term, however, it can be said with confidence that the European Cup won in Istanbul at the end of the 2022-23 season is one of the few things the Sky Blue side has secured heading into the trial of the century.
Will UEFA Strip Manchester City of Its 2023 Champions League Title?