Manchester City vs Uefa: CAS set July deadline for Champions League ban verdict

Three-day appeal hearing held by video link concluded on Wednesday

Manchester City can expect to learn whether their appeal against a two-year ban from the Champions League has been successful by the middle of July.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced a provisional timeframe for their verdict on Wednesday afternoon after the conclusion of their three-day hearing.

Uefa, European football’s governing body, handed City a two-year ban from European competition and a €30m fine after an investigation into alleged breaches of financial fair play (FFP) regulations.

City deny any wrongdoing and believe their body of “irrefutable” evidence will overturn Uefa’s punishments at the highest court in international sport.

“The decision is expected to be issued during the first half of July 2020,” a CAS statement read. ”The exact date will be communicated in advance.”

The timing of the announcement means that City will learn their fate before the final stages of the 2019-20 Champions League, which are expected to restart in August.

Pep Guardiola’s side hold a first-leg lead over Real Madrid in their last-16 tie after winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu in March, shortly before European football’s postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic.

CAS said that both City and Uefa were satisfied with how the hearing had been conducted and confirmed Rui Botica Santos from Portugal, Professor Ulrich Haas of Germany and Andrew McDougall from France as the panel of arbitrators who will decide their fate.

City unsuccessfully attempted to halt Uefa’s investigation into their FFP compliance last year, with CAS ruling that their appeal was “inadmissible” as a final decision was yet to be returned.

The Premier League champions accused Uefa’s club financial control body (CFCB) of leaking details of their investigation to the media. CAS judged the alleged leaks to be “worrisome” and concluded that though it was rejected, City’s appeal was “not without merit”.