This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
Manchester City's two-year Champions League ban has been overturned, with the Premier League club now eligible to compete in next season's competition.
On July 13, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the ban, allowing City to participate in the Champions League for the upcoming season.
Jose Mourinho, a prominent English manager, has expressed disappointment at the decision, claiming that the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules are no longer effective.
"In any case, it's a disgraceful decision," Mourinho said in his Tuesday press conference. "If they are not guilty, the decision is a disgrace. If you are guilty, the decision is also a disgrace. If you're guilty, you should be banned from the competition. My criticism is not for Manchester City; I'm nobody to know if they're guilty or not. My criticism is for the decision," he added.
City was initially found guilty of breaking FFP rules and was handed a €30 million fine. However, the club appealed the decision, and the ban was eventually lifted.
City was also fined £9 million for failing to cooperate with the investigation. Mourinho questioned the fine, suggesting that if City was guilty, the ban should have been upheld.
Other top English managers, including Jurgen Klopp, have also criticized the decision, stating that it undermines the integrity of the Champions League.
