Advertisement
English Premier League
SportFootball
Tony Evans
Tony Evans

On The Ball | Manchester City’s Uefa date with destiny could pave the way for a period of Liverpool domination

  • Manchester City face the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne on Monday with their near-term future in the balance
  • Executives at the Etihad fear an exodus of staff if Uefa’s two-year ban is upheld

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
An unfavourable decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport next week could have disastrous consequences for reigning Premier League champions Manchester City. Photo: Reuters
Tony Evans

At the end of the storm there’s a golden sky, the song says. The Coronavirus tempest may be far from over but a gilded future for Liverpool appears within touching distance. Especially because their main domestic rivals, Manchester City, are facing the sort of troubles that might neutralise the Etihad’s threat to Anfield.

Advertisement
Liverpool fear Pep Guardiola’s side above all other English teams. The season is virtually over at the top of the table. Second-placed City will kick off the renewal of fixtures in 12 days’ time hoping to close the gap to 22 points by beating Arsenal. Yet the next campaign may not be far away. The Premier League has discussed the possibility of a quick turnaround with August 22 mentioned as a potential start date for 2020-21. The football authorities are keen to restore the semblance of a normal routine as quickly as possible.
City cannot look beyond next week, however. On Monday their appeal against the two-year Champions League ban imposed by Uefa for breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations comes before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. If the sanction is upheld, questions over the future of Guardiola and his squad will multiply.

The Catalan is in the last year of his contract. The 49-year-old, whose work rate and level of intensity are breathtaking, may not relish a rebuilding phase if the club are unable to compete against Europe’s elite. The players, too, could consider their future.

Advertisement

Kevin De Bruyne has already expressed concern about a possible ban. “Two years [outside the Champions League] would be a long time,” he said. The Belgian will be 29 at the end of the month. He is reaching the point in his career where the clock is ticking. Others in the squad are watching events at CAS with similar interest. City have reassured their players that the ruling will be overturned but Uefa are supremely confident that the verdict is correct.

Losing in Lausanne would be a body blow to everyone at the Etihad. In that event, City are certain to take the case to the Swiss courts but it would have a huge impact on morale and generate a period of turmoil for the foreseeable future. For Liverpool, it would mean opportunity.

loading
Advertisement