The Associated Press news agency has reported that Manchester City has asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to block Uefa’s planned sanctioning of the English Premier League football club over its financial affairs. City last month hit out at what it claimed was a “wholly unsatisfactory, uncurtailed, and hostile process” after Uefa confirmed that it will refer the club to the adjudicatory chamber of its Club Financial Control Body. That came after US newspaper the New York Times reported that City would be hit with a ban from the Champions League following the conclusion of an investigation into allegations that the club misled regulators over its financial affairs. City said it was “disappointed, but regrettably not surprised” by Uefa’s announcement. The FFP accusations emerged late last year when a report in German magazine Der Spiegel, based on documents obtained by the Football Leaks website, claimed that City had been disguising huge investment from its owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, as sponsorship deals through various UAE-based companies. The AP, citing people with knowledge of the matter, has now reported that City has reached out to CAS to throw out the case. The AP’s sources spoke anonymously given details of the investigation are confidential. City’s challenge relates to the decision by Uefa to send the FFP case from its investigatory chamber to its adjudicatory chamber, the AP’s sources said.
Manchester City has turned to Club Financial Control Body (CAS) in an effort to prevent UEFA punishing the club over alleged Financial Fair Play violations. The club has been referred to the adjudicatory chamber of UEFA's the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the claims, with reports suggesting City could be banned from the Champions League if found guilty.