Premier League rivals launch legal bid to stop Manchester City playing in Champions League

City are currently awaiting the result of their appeal against a two-year ban from European competition, which they were handed by UEFA in February, along with a £25 million fine, for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

The Premier League champions have denied any wrongdoing and launched an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but their domestic rivals have now together to oppose them.

The Daily Mail reports that eight of the Premier League top 10 – every club but City and Sheffield United – have submitted a joint application to CAS.

Each club has written separately to the same law firm, which addressed an application to CAS that was backed by all eight teams: Liverpool, Leicester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Wolves and Burnley.

The clubs are objecting to the possibility of City requesting that their two-year Champions League ban is put on ice while the appeal process is ongoing, which could therefore allow them to compete next season.

However, the report adds that City are understood not to have submitted such a request yet.

A source told the newspaper: “The feeling is that enough is enoug. For too long, City have been able to get away with breaching the rules at the expense of at least one other club that has been unable to get into the Champions League.

“The fear is that they will be able to delay any punishment and — should they win the appeal — get off scot-free, which would be outrageous.”

Both Man City and CAS declined to respond to the report.

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