The court felt the governing body had grounds to seek punishment against the Premier League club, but alleged FFP breaches weren’t proven.

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Allegations that Manchester City artificially inflated commercial agreements with their main sponsor Etihad were “not established to the comfortable satisfaction” of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which also concluded the Premier League club showed a “blatant disregard” for UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) investigation principles.

City had a two-season ban from UEFA competitions quashed earlier this month after CAS found they were not guilty of “disguising equity funds as sponsorship contributions”, although they were fined €10 million (£9m/$11m) for not co-operating with the investigation launched by European football’s governing body

UEFA, which previously punished City for FFP violations in May 2014, opened a fresh probe on the back of a series of articles published by German publication Der Spiegel in November 2018, which drew upon information obtained by the whistleblower Football Leaks.

On Tuesday, CAS released its full findings on the case, which explained those emails were admissible evidence.

Tthe allegation that sponsorship money from Etihad – the Abu Dhabi airline that adorns City’s playing shirts and lends its name to the club’s stadium and training facility – was funnelled in via the Abu Dhabi United Group and Sheikh Mansour’s personal fortune could not be proven.

“There is no doubt that Etihad fully complied with its payment towards MCFC [Man City] and that MCFC rendered the contractually agreed services to Etihad in return,” the CAS verdict read.

“The majority of the panel finds that Etihad Sponsorship Agreements are presumed to be negotiated at fair value and that MCFC, HHSM [Mansour], ADUG and Etihad are considered not to be ‘related parties’. The Etihad Sponsorship Agreement were legally binding contracts.

“There is no evidence that agreements were backdated or that MCFC otherwise retrospectively tried to cover up any alleged violations following the publication of the leaked emails.”

During the period addressed by the investigation, City were entitled to sponsorship fees and bonuses of just over £220m ($285m).

Similar claims concerning City’s arrangements with Abu Dhabi telecommunications company Etisalat were found to be time-barred under UEFA’s rules, because the alleged offences took place more than five years before the case was referred to the adjudicatory chamber of UEFA’s Club Financial Control Board (CFCB) on May 15, 2019.

Despite the relief felt by Pep Guardiola and his club upon learning they would be able to compete in next season’s Champions League, CAS said City should be “strongly condemned” for failing to assist UEFA’s investigation.

“The majority of the panel finds that MCFC’s failure to cooperate with the CFCB’s investigation is a severe breach and that MCFC is to be seriously reproached for obstructing the CFCB’s investigations,” it concluded, adding it hoped the fine would be a “sufficiently strong deterrent” to any other clubs that might contravene the FFP process.

UEFA has come in for criticism in the weeks since the verdict, but the Swiss-based court said it had a “legitimate basis to prosecute” City and did not instigate “frivolous charges”.

Indeed, CAS felt the responsibility for the case going so far lay at the door of City and their standoffish approach.

“The new evidence presented by MCFC in the present proceedings before CAS had an impact on the panel’s findings,” it said.

“The panel cannot put itself in the shoes of the adjudicatory chamber at the time of issuance of the appealed decision, but it finds that the possibility cannot be excluded that the adjudicatory chamber may have reached the same conclusions as the panel in the present proceedings, had such evidence been made available to it.

“The relevance of this is that MCFC may have avoided the appealed decision by already filing such evidence before the CFCB. The appealed decision is therefore not per se wrong, but, at least to a certain extent, is a consequence of MCFC’s decision to produce the most relevant evidence at its disposal, only in the present appeal arbitration proceedings before CAS.”

Source – Goal.com

La Liga has requested that the second division game between Deportivo la Coruna and Fuenlabrada is cancelled.

Brighton have completed the signing of midfielder Adam Lallana from Liverpool on a free transfer.

Adam Lallana made three Premier League starts for Liverpool last season

Lallana, whose deal with the Premier League champions expired at the end of the season, has signed a three-year contract with the Seagulls.

The 32-year-old has made 22 appearances for the Reds in 2019-20 but started only three league games and has not been involved since the restart.

“Adam is a really exciting signing for us,” said Brighton boss Graham Potter.

“To have both his experience and quality out on the pitch will be a great addition for us, and I know he will be an excellent role model for our younger players in the squad.”

Lallana won the last of his 34 England caps against Italy in March 2018.

Liverpool signed Lallana from Southampton for £25m in July 2014 and after a modest start to his career at Anfield under Brendan Rodgers he developed into one of the key players during the first 18 months of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

He has won the Premier League, the Champions League, the Fifa Club World Cup and the Uefa Super Cup in his six-year spell at Anfield.

“There is no doubting Adam’s quality, and if you look at his footballing CV his ability is clear for everyone to see,” added Potter.

“I am really looking forward to working with him when we return for pre-season training in a few weeks.”

Source – BBC News

The 23-year-old has been warned he is in violation of his contract but he has no interest in representing Quique Setien’s team again.

Barcelona midfielder Arthur has told the club he does not want to play for them anymore as the midfielder refuses to return from Brazil, Goal understands.

The Brazil international will join Juventus this summer after a deal worth €72 million (£66m/$81m) plus up to €10m in bonuses was agreed in June, but his contract with Barcelona will run until the Champions League campaign is over.

Coach Quique Setien gave his players a break after their second-place finish in La Liga and the 23-year-old took the opportunity to return to his homeland.

He was expected back to undergo tests for Covid-19 this week and begin preparations for the second leg of the last-16 against Napoli on August 8, but he has notified the club that he will not return.

Barca have warned Arthur that he will be violating his contract and will face fines for his conduct, but he is standing firm and refuses to represent Quique Setien’s side again.

Arthur moved to Camp Nou from Gremio in a €40 million (£35m/$47m) deal in 2018. He has made 72 appearances in all competitions, 28 in 2019-20.

His playing time this season was limited by injury until he was dropped altogether, with his last appearance being a four-minute cameo against Celta Vigo in late June.

Two days after that match and the day Barca confirmed they had reached an agreement with Juventus, Arthur insisted he would give his all for the club for the remainder of the season.

“I know I’m going to belong to a big club; many challenges await us before we can be together with the Bianconeri,” he posted on social media.

“Now I’m focused on the present, we have important goals in Barcelona and I will continue to the end giving everything, for my teammates and all the fans.”

His absence could pose problems for coach Setien, who will already be without Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal for the match against Napoli due to suspension.

While Arthur will head to Juventus ahead of next season, Bosnia-Herzegovina international midfielder Miralem Pjanic will move in the opposite direction in a €60m (£55m/$67m) deal.

Source – Goal.com

The winger is set to fill the void left by Leroy Sane’s departure from Pep Guardiola’s squad after agreeing terms on a five-year deal at the Etihad.

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Manchester City are closing in on a deal to sign Valencia winger Ferran Torres.

Goal  and SPOX  have learned that the 20-year-old, who is in the final 12 months of his contract at Mestalla, has agreed personal terms on a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium.

City and Valencia have not yet reached an agreement on a fee, but Torres is expected to initially cost somewhere between £27 million ($35m) and £36m ($47m), with the potential for add-ons.

The Spanish club need to raise money after failing to qualify for Europe next season, with  Torres having turned down a number of offers to extend his current contract .

City boss Pep Guardiola is understood to have played a key part in convincing him to choose the Premier League side amid interest from a host of European clubs, including Manchester United and Juventus.

Borussia Dortmund‘s England international Jadon Sancho remains a top target for United, with Torres seen as an alternative option at Old Trafford, while Juve could not persuade the Spain Under-21 international to move to Serie A.

Torres is keen to work with Guardiola and was convinced to move to City when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the two-year ban from the Champions League imposed on the club by UEFA.

Bundesliga side Dortmund were also interested in Torres, with BVB sports director Michael Zorc even having met the Spaniard’s agent. However, any move was seen as dependent on Sancho’s departure.

Guardiola has prioritised the signing of a new winger after Germany international Leroy Sane left for Bayern Munich in a deal worth an initial €49m (£44.7m/$55m).

City are set for a significant investment in their first-team squad this summer after failing to challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title.

New centre-backs are high on the club’s wanted list, with Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake a target.

The possibility that the Netherlands international will leave the Cherries looks more likely after his side were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday.

Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly is another defender that the club are looking at, but a potential fee of £70m ($88m) could be too high, while the Senegal star is also keen to remain with the Serie A club.

Source – Goal.com

The manager says the difference in expectations at the two clubs mean more pressure will be on the Red Devils.

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Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers says there will be more pressure on Manchester United in Sunday’s crunch clash at the King Power Stadium as they “need” rather than want to be in the Champions League.

The Foxes looked certain to be heading for a top-four finish, but have won just two of eight Premier League matches since the season resumed following a three-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Leicester will start the final game of the season against Manchester United a point behind their opponents and Chelsea, who are at home to Wolves for their own season-deciding clash.

Rodgers insists it will be a good season for his side regardless of the outcome this weekend, as the Foxes have already improved upon their ninth-place finish from last season.

Meanwhile, competing in the Champions League is a must for the Red Devils, who are looking to return to Europe’s top competition after finishing sixth last season.

Ahead of Sunday’s match, the former Liverpool and Celtic manager said: “There is a difference where we want to be in the Champions League, but when you’re a club like Manchester United, there’s a need to be in the Champions League.

“We want to be in it, but if we fall short, it’s still been a really good season.”

Rodgers is relishing the opportunity to contest a game of such magnitude as Sunday will certainly be the biggest match since he took charge of the club.

“I’ve been involved in finals and two-legged games where games mean everything so I’m not new to the situation. It’s just very exciting,” he said.

“Sometimes things peter out in a season, but for us this is what you’re looking for. Our season doesn’t finish until the very end, we can finish on a high.”

Rodgers added “We are playing one of the superpowers of world football with a chance to go above them and get into the Champions League. We have one last shot, and that tells you how well the players have done.”

Injury-hit Leicester are set to have winger Marc Albrighton back in contention for the final match of the campaign.

Source – Goal.com

Juventus missed out on the chance to wrap up the Serie A title as they fell to what boss Maurizio Sarri called a “messy” defeat at struggling Udinese.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the joint top scorer in Serie A with 30 goals

Juve, who have been Italian champions for exactly 3,000 days, need to win one of their final three games to win their ninth title in a row.

They led through Matthijs de Ligt’s powerful drive.

But Ilija Nestorovski headed in an equaliser before Seko Fofana’s brilliant winner in injury time.

As Juve pushed for a winner, Fofana ran from the halfway line, beat Alex Sandro for pace before cutting inside De Ligt and slotting the ball under Wojciech Szczesny.

“We paid for a lack of order after a good first half,” said Sarri, whose future is reportedly in doubt.

“We wanted to win at all costs, we were messy and we took the game on a dangerous track and lost it on 93 minutes because we wanted the three points.

“At this stage of the season, it is difficult, we are all tired. We have lost aggression.

“It’s complicated to stay mentally and physically on the ball for 90 minutes. The games are strange and the momentum changes very easily. The mental fatigue is more than the physical fatigue.”

Cristiano Ronaldo has been overtaken by Lazio striker Ciro Immobile in the golden boot race. Immobile scored his 31st goal of the season in Lazio’s 2-1 win over Cagliari to take him one above Ronaldo’s total.

Juventus only need three points to seal an unprecedented ninth consecutive Serie A title – but they are out of form.

They have only won one of their past five Serie A games, but the three teams below them – Atalanta, Inter Milan and Lazio – have all dropped points recently.

Sarri is hoping to win the first league title of his career.

Juve looked laboured at Udinese – who are not yet safe from relegation – with most of their 21 shots either speculative or from long range.

They play Sampdoria on Sunday (20:45 BST) – although could be champions before then if their rivals lose their weekend matches.

Source – BBC News

The Borussia Dortmund winger continues to be linked with a move to Old Trafford as the Red Devils aim to strengthen their squad for the 2020-21 season.

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Jesse Lingard believes Jadon Sancho would be a “great addition” to Manchester United‘s squad, but does not know if his England team-mate will make the move to Old Trafford this summer.

Borussia Dortmund winger Sancho is on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s transfer wish list, with the Norwegian keen to strengthen his side as they bid to mount a Premier League title charge next season.

With transfer budgets and asking prices up in their air due to Covid-19, it is not yet known where or if the 20-year-old will move when the window open, but he would be welcomed at Old Trafford by Lingard should he make the transfer.

“Jadon is a brilliant player. It’s obviously up to him,” Lingard told reporters. “I’ve seen him with England, I’ve seen his qualities and I feel like he’d be a great addition to any team.”

If Sancho does move to Old Trafford, it remains to be seen whether or not he will be linking up with Lingard.

There are doubts over the versatile midfielder’s long-term future with the Red Devils with him having fallen down the pecking order under Solskjaer.

The 27-year-old has started just once since the resumption of football in June, and has failed to make the matchday squad on a number of occasions.

“I don’t want to look too much into the future at the moment,” he said. “I’m happy playing football and I go into work with a smile on my face every day. For me that’s the best thing.

I feel like I’ve been training and getting that confidence and playing with confidence as well, it’s just about taking what I do in training into games. I’ve been patient and I’ll wait for my opportunity.”

Lingard, who has started just nine times in the league this season, did admit that things have not worked out for him the way he hoped they would in the current campaign.

“It’s been a lot different (this season). I know personally I’ve not been at it and I know what I needed to do to get that confidence back.

“I’ve been working hard and I’m just waiting for the opportunity now.

“I think I’ve got to be ready in all circumstances, whether you are starting or not. I feel like you can always make an impact in the game whether you get 25 minutes or five minutes. It’s about you being ready to make an impact and help the team.

“Next season is a new season and a new start. We can’t predict the future but we’re on a great run at the moment and it’s on the up.”

Jesse Lingard is an ambassador for American Pistachio Growers, using American pistachios as a go-to snack for training and physical recovery. Visit https://americanpistachios.co.uk/ for more information.

Source – Goal.com

The former Scotland international believes his old side will make the English top flight a better division, and it is one in which they can thrive.

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Leeds United can emulate the likes of Chelsea in joining the Premier League’s top clubs now they have returned from the Championship, according to Gordon Strachan.

After a 16-year absence, Leeds are back in the big time after winning the second-tier title under Marcelo Bielsa.

Strachan, who played for Leeds in the early years of the Premier League, believes the division will be better for having his former club in it.

“When Leeds come into this Premier League, I think football fans around the world will go, ‘Leeds are back’,” Strachan told the Gary Newbon Sports Show. “Leeds vs Chelsea, Leeds vs Manchester United, Leeds vs Liverpool, these are going to be games that will get watched around the world. When Leeds come up, there’s a ring to it.”

As a former giant of English football, Strachan thinks Leeds have the potential to rekindle their past glories.

They last won the title in 1992, lifting the old First Division in the final season before the formation of the Premier League. With their solitary FA Cup and League Cup titles coming in 1972 and 1968 respectively, the idea of Leeds as a force in English football is an alien one to younger fans – but under Bielsa, there is optimism coursing through the club.

“Some clubs say, ‘We are a big club’,” Strachan continued. “Yeah, you might have been 80 years ago and you won a couple [of trophies] way back, but that doesn’t make you a big club.

“What makes you a big club is your support, your history, what you can possibly do again in the future.

“Now, Leeds are in that bracket. They’re up there, they can be a Chelsea, but what they’ve got to do is add to the Premier League and make it grow even bigger.”

As a mark of their ambition, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani recently admitted he is interested in signing free agent Edinson Cavani following his exit from Paris Saint-Germain.

That comes after they had tried to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic in January, with the Swede eventually returning to Milan instead.

Leeds were relegated from the Premier League in 2004, and dropped to the third tier of English football before finally returning to the top flight for 2020-21.

Source – Goal.com