Manchester City have had their Champions League ban overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Pep Guardiola’s side will now be able to play in Europe’s top-tier competition next term. And it has consequences for both Manchester United and Chelsea.
Manchester City put out a short statement on their club website expressing their delight at the CAS’s verdict.
“Whilst Manchester City and its legal advisors are yet to review the full ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Club welcomes the implications of today’s ruling as a validation of the Club’s position and the body of evidence that it was able to present,” it read.
“The Club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered.”
City will now be in next season’s Champions League, with Guardiola’s side already securing a second-placed finish in the table.
And Express Sport will now take a look at what it means for Manchester United and Chelsea.
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Manchester United have two routes to Champions League football next season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are currently favourites to finish third in the Premier League table after Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Sheffield United on Saturday.
Should they do that, or finish fourth, they’ll be rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite next term.
Alternatively, United can book their place in the tournament by winning the Europa League.
The Red Devils are all but through to the quarter-finals of the competition and will fancy their chances of making the final for the second time in three years.
The likes of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner signed on the dotted line because they expected to be in the Champions League next term.
But their hopes of securing a top four finish are now up in the air.
Chelsea sit a point above Leicester City - and two clear of Manchester United - going into the final three matches of the season.
Should United win their game in hand, they’ll drop to fourth. That would be good enough but they’d need to match or better Leicester’s results in the coming games.
Manchester City fans have taken to social media to express their delight at seeing the club’s two-year Champions League ban overhead.
“WE WON !!!!!” said one jubilant fan.
“We stay winning,” said a second.
“UEFA IN THE MUD... YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS,” added a third.
And a fourth said: “Go on the boys.”
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