The outbreak of Coronavirus will not delay Manchester City’s ban from the Champions League, according to claims from Spain, with a decision to be made ahead of the new season regardless of when it starts.
City were banned from UEFA’s top club competition earlier this year as punishment for a breach of Financial Fair Play.
COVID-19’s spread across Europe, and the subsequent suspension of football had looked likely to delay the case with the relevant groups unable to meet and make a decision.
However, Sport report there will be no delay on the ban, with it set to be decided regardless of whether there is a delay to next season.
It’s explained that Manchester City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the matter at the end of February, with the Swiss court confirming they had received it as well.
A date for the hearing to determine the outcome is yet to be determined but, despite COVID-19, it will be carried out ‘in advance’ of the new season.
Although ‘all proceedings are stopped’ at this moment in time, the relevant authorities will ensure that the hearing takes place so that they can have a resolution ahead of the 2020-21 edition of the Champions League.
At the moment there is a chance the ban will be overturned and TAS will ‘adopt precautionary measures’ and relay this to Manchester City and UEFA ahead of the start of the competition.
However, Sport believe ‘the best scenario’, at least for City, is that they would reduce their ban to one year from the current two.
