Man City ‘accuse Arsenal of starting plot to get club banned from Europe’ to aid their own Champions League race
MANCHESTER CITY are accusing Arsenal of leading the battle to get their Champions League ban upheld, according to reports.
As things stand, the Etihad club are suspended from all Uefa competition for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.
They were found guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play regulations and slapped with a £25million fine but immediately denied any wrongdoing when the bombshell announcement was made in February.
But with the coronavirus crisis crippling the world, their appeal lodged in March to the Court of Arbitration for Sport may not be heard until much later in the year and therefore not before next season's competition gets underway.
Reports this week stated that eight of the Premier League's top ten, including runaway leaders Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal, lodged an application to prevent City putting off the ban while their appeal is unanswered.
Only Manchester City themselves and Sheffield United did not join in.
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There has been bad blood between the two sides since Arsene Wenger criticised Sheikh Mansour's investment into the Citizens in 2008.
Tensions were worsened when Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna all left the Emirates for the Etihad.
And then when Arsenal raided City for their assistant Mikel Arteta in December without seeking permission from his previous employers first, the feud escalated.
The report also adds that Manchester City are furious with Liverpool for joining in the rest of the Champions League chasing pack despite being so far clear at the top of the table.
But should they challenge Arsenal on the information they have, the Gunners are expected to deny the allegations.
Qualification into Europe's top club competition is thought to be worth around £120m.
So it is little wonder clubs in with a chance of securing a place in the tournament next season are keen to ensure the ban is kept in place.
With nine games remaining for most top-flight sides, currently Liverpool, Leicester, Chelsea and fifth-placed Manchester United would qualify.
United are on 45 points but Wolves and Sheffield United (43 points), Spurs (41), Arsenal (40) and Burnley (39) will all be confident of catching Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.