London: Manchester City are on the brink of a domestic treble, with only Watford standing in their way in Saturday’s FA Cup final, but a potentially historic season risks being overshadowed by several probes into the club’s off-field conduct. However, the club have spent much of the week preceding the Wembley showcase responding to reports that they could be set for a season’s ban from the Champions League over alleged breaches of financial fair play rules.
The case was referred to UEFA’s adjudicatory chamber on Thursday to decide what sanction, if any, should be imposed. City replied, saying they were “disappointed, but regrettably not surprised” by the move from European football’s governing body. Reports by German publication Der Spiegel had alleged that City, bankrolled by Sheikh Mansour, a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family, set up sponsorship deals to circumvent regulations limiting how much money owners can put into a club.
