"Sometimes, you lose a case when you’re sure" - UEFA President makes astonishing claim on Manchester City's FFP charges
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin recently insisted that their decision to ban Manchester City from European competitions back in 2020 was justified. UEFA handed the Premier League side a ban for serious breaches of Financial Fair Play but it was eventually overturned by the Court for Arbitration of Sport (CAS).
Speaking to The Telegraph, Ceferin said:
“We know we were right. We wouldn’t decide if we didn’t think we were right. As a trial lawyer for 25 years, I know that, sometimes, you win a case that you are sure you will lose. And, sometimes, you lose a case when you’re sure… You just simply have to respect in a serious democracy the decision of the court.”
Manchester City's ban by UEFA was struck down by CAS after the court claimed that most of the accusations were either 'not established or time-barred'. However, the team did receive a £9 million fine for failing to comply with the investigation.
Ceferin's statement comes at an interesting time as City are being investigated yet again for FFP breaches. They have been accused of 115 violations by the Premier League, with a final verdict on the case yet to come.
Gary Neville delivers verdict on transfer as Manchester City star moves on loan
Pundit Gary Neville has claimed that Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips' loan move to West Ham United could benefit him greatly. The former United defender claimed that the 28-year-old could get much more game time with the Hammers.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Neville said:
“He needs to play football, that’s for sure. I mean, obviously we remember, he was a major England player, someone who I think we thought would do well at Manchester City.
“You normally think that City don’t make mistakes in the transfer market. Just not worked out for him there – listen, they’ve got fantastic options in midfield. But West Ham losing Declan Rice, I think it’s a good move for West Ham, it’s a good move for Kalvin Phillips.
“Hopefully he can stay fit and get a lot of football in before the Euros in the summer.”
Phillips has barely featured for City this season, getting just 318 minutes of action in 10 appearances across all competitions. He has struggled for game time since he arrived from Leeds in the summer of 2022, making just 31 appearances.
West Ham have invested well into their midfield after losing Declan Rice to Arsenal in the summer. While they signed the likes of Mohammad Kudus and James Ward-Prowse, Phillips could be the player closest to replicating Rice's role under David Moyes.