' UEFAS FINANCIAL FAIRPLAY '

Came down hard on several clubs.


Friday 16th May 2014.


UEFA has fined Manchester City 60m euros (£49m) and restricted their Champions League squad to 21 for next season following the breach of Financial Fair Play rules.

The club owned by Sheikh Mansour snatched the Premier League title last weekend but will have to curb their spending in the transfer market for the next two seasons and freeze their wage structure in order to escape further punishment.

French champions Paris St Germain, who were charged with similar breaches, have been hit with the same punishment.

Should the clubs successfully fulfil the operational and financial measures agreed with the UEFA Club Financial Control Body, they will be able to reclaim 40m euros of the fine and have the squad restriction lifted in time for the 2015/2016 Champions League.

Manchester City have accepted the sanctions, which include a salary freeze on their Champions League squad for the next two seasons, and to "significantly limit spending in the transfer market for seasons 2014/2015 and 2015/2016", said UEFA.

A statement on the City website read: "Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at the end of the current financial year (May 31st) it is on course to financially break even, as planned.

"Operating with no debt, the club is realising its football and commercial opportunities whilst continuing unprecedented investments in both youth development and the local community

"From the outset, the club has engaged with UEFA in its introduction of the Financial Fair Play Regulations in good faith and without prejudice and in a transparent and collaborative manner.

"The club's position is that it is beholden upon UEFA and the European football establishment to ensure the same.

"The club can confirm that it has been in discussions with UEFA over the last month - in relation to the application of Financial Fair Play regulations - as has been widely reported and communicated by UEFA.

"At the heart of those discussions is a fundamental disagreement between the club's and UEFA's respective interpretations of the FFP regulations on players purchased before 2010.

"The club believes it has complied with the FFP regulations on this and all other matters. The club's expenditure on new players for the upcoming summer transfer window, on top of income from players it might sell, will be limited to 60m euros."

Seven other clubs, Galatasaray, Trabzonspor and Bursaspor from Turkey, Russian sides Zenit St Petersburg, Anzhi Makhachkala and Rubin Kazan, plus Levski Sofia from Bulgaria also failed FFP.

Their punishments ranged from Zenit's 12m euro fine, 6m suspended, and European competitions' squad reduction to 22 players, Rubin (6m, 3m suspended, squad 21 players), Anzhi (2m, 1m susp, squad restricted to 21) to Bursaspor, Galatasaray and Sofia's 200,000 euro fines.

Came down hard on several clubs.


Friday 16th May 2014.


UEFA has fined Manchester City 60m euros (£49m) and restricted their Champions League squad to 21 for next season following the breach of Financial Fair Play rules.

The club owned by Sheikh Mansour snatched the Premier League title last weekend but will have to curb their spending in the transfer market for the next two seasons and freeze their wage structure in order to escape further punishment.

French champions Paris St Germain, who were charged with similar breaches, have been hit with the same punishment.

Should the clubs successfully fulfil the operational and financial measures agreed with the UEFA Club Financial Control Body, they will be able to reclaim 40m euros of the fine and have the squad restriction lifted in time for the 2015/2016 Champions League.

Manchester City have accepted the sanctions, which include a salary freeze on their Champions League squad for the next two seasons, and to "significantly limit spending in the transfer market for seasons 2014/2015 and 2015/2016", said UEFA.

A statement on the City website read: "Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at the end of the current financial year (May 31st) it is on course to financially break even, as planned.

"Operating with no debt, the club is realising its football and commercial opportunities whilst continuing unprecedented investments in both youth development and the local community

"From the outset, the club has engaged with UEFA in its introduction of the Financial Fair Play Regulations in good faith and without prejudice and in a transparent and collaborative manner.

"The club's position is that it is beholden upon UEFA and the European football establishment to ensure the same.

"The club can confirm that it has been in discussions with UEFA over the last month - in relation to the application of Financial Fair Play regulations - as has been widely reported and communicated by UEFA.

"At the heart of those discussions is a fundamental disagreement between the club's and UEFA's respective interpretations of the FFP regulations on players purchased before 2010.

"The club believes it has complied with the FFP regulations on this and all other matters. The club's expenditure on new players for the upcoming summer transfer window, on top of income from players it might sell, will be limited to 60m euros."

Seven other clubs, Galatasaray, Trabzonspor and Bursaspor from Turkey, Russian sides Zenit St Petersburg, Anzhi Makhachkala and Rubin Kazan, plus Levski Sofia from Bulgaria also failed FFP.

Their punishments ranged from Zenit's 12m euro fine, 6m suspended, and European competitions' squad reduction to 22 players, Rubin (6m, 3m suspended, squad 21 players), Anzhi (2m, 1m susp, squad restricted to 21) to Bursaspor, Galatasaray and Sofia's 200,000 euro fines.

Say's a lot when clubs are fully aware of the rules and know their budget but can break that rule and still pay fine the happily.

Personally think this rule or whatever you wanna call it isn't really coming down 'hard' on clubs for me.

Banning from Europe and a domestic points deduction.

Job done

how the hell do real madrid and barcelona get away with it suppose it helps when they are bankrolled by the government

man city's statement was an absolute joke. along the lines of "we only used 21 players and werent going to spend that much in the transfer market anyway so who the f**k cares"

kick the fuckers out of europe next time and see what they say then

You know football is morally bankrupt when a club gets fined 15k for racial abuse of a player and another club gets fined £50mil for breaking "fair play" rules even though their owners are happy to cover all the losses from their spending.

You know football is morally bankrupt when a club gets fined 15k for racial abuse of a player and another club gets fined £50mil for breaking "fair play" rules even though their owners are happy to cover all the losses from their spending.

very true

Eufa fine clubs for overspending from thier bottomless pit of money with a fine

Well done Platini you made your organisation a few quid today.... Its not about fair play, just money.... Why pretend

I never understood this whole thing

It doesnt really seem fair at all

It keeps rich clubs rich and poor clubs poor

It doesnt allow investors to invest

Im all for financial control but lets be realistic. Its good that we want to stop clubs ending up in financial ruin and loans should be eradicated with solid investment only 'put your money where your mouth is'

Why punish Manchester City and its owner for bank rolling the club. Manchester City are stable Sheik Mansour doesnt has written off what hes spent in the club. Also hes not only invested heavily in the squad hes invested in the community. Cant really believe they are being punished for it!!!

Its all a bit of a joke really. Especially when you compare Man City and us

I never understood this whole thing

It doesnt really seem fair at all

what? Fairness is the whole point.

It keeps rich clubs rich and poor clubs poor

no it doesnt. It means if a poor club wants to be rich then they have to work for it.

It doesnt allow investors to invest

thank goodness for that. Investment means loans, which is why clubs are flirting with going bust right left and center because they cannot afford to pay them back.

Im all for financial control but lets be realistic. Its good that we want to stop clubs ending up in financial ruin and loans should be eradicated with solid investment only 'put your money where your mouth is'

again, investment is not "gifts".

Why punish Manchester City and its owner for bank rolling the club. Manchester City are stable Sheik Mansour doesnt has written off what hes spent in the club. Also hes not only invested heavily in the squad hes invested in the community. Cant really believe they are being punished for it!!!

yet you are complaining about fairness? What is fair about man city being able to spend a billion when they havent earned a billion?

Its all a bit of a joke really. Especially when you compare Man City and us

in what way?

I never understood this whole thing

It doesnt really seem fair at all

what? Fairness is the whole point.

It keeps rich clubs rich and poor clubs poor

no it doesnt. It means if a poor club wants to be rich then they have to work for it.

It doesnt allow investors to invest

thank goodness for that. Investment means loans, which is why clubs are flirting with going bust right left and center because they cannot afford to pay them back.

Im all for financial control but lets be realistic. Its good that we want to stop clubs ending up in financial ruin and loans should be eradicated with solid investment only 'put your money where your mouth is'

again, investment is not "gifts".

Why punish Manchester City and its owner for bank rolling the club. Manchester City are stable Sheik Mansour doesnt has written off what hes spent in the club. Also hes not only invested heavily in the squad hes invested in the community. Cant really believe they are being punished for it!!!

yet you are complaining about fairness? What is fair about man city being able to spend a billion when they havent earned a billion?

Its all a bit of a joke really. Especially when you compare Man City and us

in what way?

Why does investment mean loans? whats wrong with actually spending REAL money not loans, whats wrong with taking a risk?

Taking a risk? Where is the risk?

Investment means getting it back plus more. If you spend £300m on players with another £130m a year on wages... You aint getting a return.

All you are doing is putting the club £430m in debt (minus income of course).

Surely you arent condoning having clubs as foreign gazillionaires play things? Where is the fairness in that?

Taking a risk? Where is the risk?

Investment means getting it back plus more. If you spend £300m on players with another £130m a year on wages... You aint getting a return.

All you are doing is putting the club £430m in debt (minus income of course).

Surely you arent condoning having clubs as foreign gazillionaires play things? Where is the fairness in that?

investment doesnt guarantee a return, there are different level of risk but a return a rarely guaranteed

lets take your sums £430m, if I loan that to you regardless of what happens to the club you owe me £430m

now if I say im going to spend my money not loan it I choose to spend £430m on players and wages. I could lose it, make it back or (hopefully) make a profit as part of a long term investment thats the risk.

As for gazillionaire play things, we dont have wage caps so fundamentally the sky is the limit and if its in your bank account you can give it away.

What annoys me is the loans (which isnt real investment) how can you be able to loan more money than a club can afford to pay back even if you stripped the club to its bare bones. Thats whats wrong with the current system not massive investment its massive loans.