In a surprising development, two of the biggest names who were in violation of much talked about UEFA Financial Fair Play policies accepted the charges being leveled on them by the European governing body. Among others, English club Manchester City and German powerhouse PSG were the two big names in the list of violating clubs and off late when both of them did not reply governing body about what they have to say against their violations, everyone suspected there would have been a under the table agreement in making between UEFA and both the sides and this belief fueled by Platini’s statement where he said they are not thinking of imposing any ban for this season. Now, when both the sides have agreed over the fine and a reduced squad for the next year’s Champions League, it is being taken as the victory of the game as a whole. As per the latest media reports, both sides have agreed to pay around 60 million in penalty along with shredding four players from their 25 players squad for the next UEFA event.
The impact of this indictment is going to be wider than expected coz no club can now take these cost controlling measures lightly, and this year too, there are other sides who have been offered a lighter punishment for their trivial violations to the FFPs. These clubs are: Bursaspor from Turkey, Russian sides Zenit St Petersburg, Levski Sofia from Bulgaria, Galatasaray, Trabzonspor, Anzhi Makhachkala, and Rubin Kazan. Apart from this, current violating sides have also promised not to increase the wages of players and non-playing staff for at least next two years to breakeven the extra spending they have done in last two years and if they could successfully follow it, most of the extra amount they spent earlier would be recouped entitling them for a refund out of paid penalties from UEFA.
City ruled out any major impact over their transfer activity for this indictment, it said via a statement, “(We) will have no material impact on the club’s planned transfer activity. The nature of conditions that will result in the lifting of sanctions means that the club expects to be operating without sanction or restriction at the commencement of the 2015-16 season.
“At the heart of those discussions is a fundamental disagreement between the Club’s and UEFA’s respective interpretations of the FFP regulations on players purchased before 2010. The club believes it has complied with the FFP regulations on this and all other matters.”