The English club Manchester City and the Spanish club Girona might not be able to play in the Champions League, for which they have already qualified through their respective leagues, reports The Times. The reason is that UEFA has asked City’s Abu Dhabi owners to sell part of their ownership in Girona if both teams want to play in the most prestigious continental tournament.
🚨🚨| NEW: Manchester City and their sister club Girona will not be able to compete in next season’s Champions League unless the Abu Dhabi owners reduce their shareholding in one team. 🇪🇺❌
Alternatively, Girona could compete in the Europa League. Even if both clubs finish… pic.twitter.com/e2ABBIcQGC
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) May 15, 2024
Manchester City is guaranteed to finish 1st or 2nd in the Premier League, while Girona will end somewhere between 2nd and 4th place in LaLiga’s standings depending on the outcomes of the last two rounds of play.
Currently, “City Football Group” owns 47% of Girona, and if they do not reduce their shares to a maximum of 30%, Michel’s team will not have the right to compete in the Champions League and will automatically move to the Europa League. UEFA’s rules for participation in European tournaments next season will be sent to all clubs by the end of the current week.