Due to Griona and Manchester City both qualifying for next years Champions League the City Football Group may have to sell their stake in the club as UEFA states, Sad News as Manchester City will not Participate in the upcoming Champions League game next season 😱😭 UEFA is kill!Ng Football 😭😭😭
According to sources cited by ESPN, Girona, a La Liga outfit, awaits UEFA’s nod before stepping into the Champions League fray next season, given that their affiliate, Manchester City, has also clinched a berth in the 2024–25 tournament.
In a historic feat, Girona secured their maiden Champions League qualification in their 94-year journey by besting Barcelona 4-2, solidifying their stance in the league’s top four this season.
As one of the 13 entities under the City Football Group (CFG) umbrella, Girona’s entry alongside City sparks concerns about potential clashes with UEFA regulations on multi-club ownership, particularly Article 5 of UEFA Club Competitions regulations.
While CFG commands a 47 percent share in Girona, American-Bolivian entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, at the helm of Club Bolivar, another CFG entity, holds the remaining 35 percent. Adding intrigue, Girona’s chairmanship rests with Pere Guardiola, sibling to Manchester City’s helm, Pep Guardiola.
Per UEFA statutes, if multiple teams from the same ownership consortium qualify for the same UEFA competition, the squad with the superior domestic league standing gains eligibility.
In this scenario, Manchester City, boasting the highest club coefficient, would trump Girona for qualification should both teams land on equal footing domestically.
Manchester City is on the cusp of securing the CFG spot in the Champions League, needing a mere two points to clinch second place in the Premier League.
Girona must exhibit their autonomy from Manchester City in a UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) session this summer to garner approval for Champions League contention.
Despite speculations hinting that Girona might evade relegation to the Europa League to dodge a showdown with Manchester City, UEFA has greenlit analogous instances of shared ownership in the past, such as the Red Bull Group overseeing RB Leipzig and FC Salzburg’s joint Champions League ventures.
Other clubs under shared ownership, like Manchester United and Nice, under the INEOS Group helmed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, might also undergo CFCB assessments if they secure European berths.
While Manchester United currently lags in the European qualification race in the Premier League, they still hold avenues for qualification through league standings or by triumphing over Manchester City in the FA Cup Final. Meanwhile, Nice secures a Europa League berth sitting fifth in Ligue 1.
