Brief
City and PSG face UEFA fines as Champions League clash highlights past sanctions
Both clubs were fined €20m for past FFP breaches and must avoid further penalties under settlement terms.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Manchester City and Paris Saint‑Germain met at the Etihad Stadium for a Champions League match on Wednesday, a fixture that reminded both clubs of earlier UEFA financial‑fair‑play sanctions, according to the Guardian.
What happened
UEFA investigators found that between 2011 and 2013 the two clubs exceeded the €45m loss limit for European competitors, with PSG recording a €218m deficit and City a €188m deficit. Both clubs avoided formal charges by signing settlement agreements that imposed a €20m financial penalty on each and imposed spending restrictions for subsequent seasons. A further €40m would become payable if either club breached the settlement terms.
What the reports add
The Guardian notes that UEFA said in April 2017 both clubs had “fully complied with all the requirements,” but the extent of City’s compliance with spending limits remains contested. The article also references a 2020 UEFA investigatory chamber suspension of City from the Champions League for two years over alleged sponsorship‑revenue overstating, which was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
What was said
The piece records that Nasser al‑Khelaifi, PSG’s president, expressed frustration that the Premier League’s release of City’s independent‑commission verdict eclipsed the European Football Clubs’ general assembly in Copenhagen, where he delivered a keynote speech. The Guardian also mentions that al‑Khelaifi’s speech targeted FIFA president Gianni Infantino over governance issues.
How it came about
The sanctions stem from investigations that began in 2014 when UEFA first identified breaches by both clubs. Subsequent settlements in 2017 limited penalties to €20m each, with additional suspended fines. Recent Premier League findings that City breached spending limits between 2009‑10 and 2017‑18 have reignited scrutiny, prompting City to appeal the commission’s verdict while PSG faces a further €10m fine from UEFA in 2022 for non‑compliance since 2018.
Key facts
- UEFA fined Manchester City €20m and PSG €20m for breaching financial fair play rules between 2011‑2013. (theguardian.com)
- Both clubs signed settlement agreements that limited penalties and imposed future spending restrictions. (theguardian.com)
- A further €40m would be payable by either club if they breached the settlement terms. (theguardian.com)
- PSG received an additional €10m fine in 2022 for non‑compliance with financial rules since 2018. (theguardian.com)
- Manchester City appealed an independent commission’s verdict that found the club significantly breached UEFA spending limits from 2009‑10 to 2017‑18. (theguardian.com)
Sources
- [1] theguardian.com — originally reported as “Manchester City v PSG is a reminder of the path not taken in sanctions battles”
