Surprise surprise. Man City European ban overturned. Just so disappointing. Especially if you support one of the other teams at that end of the table hoping to get into the CL.
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The 2019-2020 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
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Deeply disappointing, and not just for those teams who may have hoped for that vacant spot in the CL, but deeply disappointing on an ethical and rule of law basis, as well.
Actually, I had thought that the ban would be reduced (perhaps for a year, rather than two), other than overturned outright.
Might as well just scrap FFP at this point. Why bother if there's no teeth in the enforcement? Greed, power, and corruption win again — welcome to 2020, or welcome to UEFA in general.
Not terribly impressed with this judgment, to be honest; they could have reduced it to a year, (which might have reduced the volume of the howls of protest about victimisation from Manchester City) while still allowing for some semblance of respect for the idea of the rule of law, for ethics, for principles.
A bad day for football, in my opinion.
It confirms (as if we needed confirmation) that the business of professional football is fundamentally corrupt. I doubt there will be any good to come out of this. It is a huge setback for all who seek more transparency, financial sanity, and fairness in the way the game is run. It's a Wild West casino where the biggest guns and the biggest purses rule the day. The result - the elite gain even more of a stranglehold on competitions, and bankruptcies among the 99% of clubs below the elite become increasingly common.
From a competitive / sporting standpoint, I have never had a problem with Man City. But as a club and a business model I loathe them. They represent almost everything that is wrong with modern football from the perspectives of governance and business.
From a competitive / sporting standpoint, I have never had a problem with Man City. But as a club and a business model I loathe them. They represent almost everything that is wrong with modern football from the perspectives of governance and business.
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Very well said, and a deeply depressing outcome.
But sadly not surprising.
Good luck tonight @JamesMike. Need a few goals from Fernandes and Greenwood please as my fantasy team needs the points nearly as much as my actual team do!
On my TV tonight as well which is nice!
You've summed it all up neatly there. A sad day for football.
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United and Chelsea will secure the third and fourth spot, in that order I imagine. As a Liverpool fan it's hard to argue against United in particular deserving it. Terrific form since the restart, and if they keep it up they surely won't look out of place in the Champions League. The penalty decision against Aston Villa was absurd however.
I hate this phrase in every way, but Leicester have genuinely "bottled" the top four race. They didn't need an especially good finish to the season, only not to collapse like they have. I get the feeling that United have earned their spot, whereas Chelsea have been rather gifted their due to Leicester's decline.
Its okay. You got things back on track. Just wished the scores were different. In my fantasy team I have Ings, Greenwood and Fernades, but not goal!
I really was rooting for Leicester, it is very disappointing to see them slip up so badly. Man Utd have never sparkled this season, but they have become very hard to beat and the team is starting to build a little chemistry.
I hate to drag this back to Man City blowing the brains out of FFP, but the situation with Man Utd and Chelsea's charges into the CL spots in particular (and Bayern winning the league in the Bundesliga this season) show how big the gap is between the haves and have-nots. The "big" teams can stay near the top of their division even when in full rebuilding mode. There is virtually no chance they will ever relinquish this position, no matter how badly the clubs are run, because they have money to burn. Man Utd in particular have had the most random transfer policy imaginable over the last few years and have absorbed enormous losses on expensive players that did not pan out. But they took the beating and kept on buying till some came good. Chelsea buy all the best prospects and then bury them in the youth team, on the bench, or on loan, then sell them cheap years later and they go on to become world class at other clubs. But they still get enough stars to win titles. Very few clubs can afford to do things this way - indeed many try to replicate this roulette-wheel approach and that's why they are getting wound up in increasing numbers. Man City are an even worse example, as they are well-run in the sense that they exploit the laughably weak financial "safeguards" with the ruthlessness of the despotic state their ownership hails from.
They didn't give up. Largely kept Fernades out of the game and he has been instrumental in a lot of your games since he came in. If you beat Leicester (and I think you will), you should still be okay for the top 4.
Southampton played exceptionally well, and well deserved the draw, and the point.
Fernandes has been a key player, if the opposition can shut him down it does blunt Man Utd's attack. But credit to Southhampton, who have been pretty resilient.
I would not worry if I were a Man Utd fan. The way things are going Leicester will probably have to beat Man Utd on the final day to stay in the top four, if indeed they are still in contention then. And on current form Man Ut will likely win that encounter.
United still hasn't found that fourth gear of ruthlessness yet, but I think fatigue caught up with them today and Soton's tireless pressing threw them off their game. Still, United should have finished a couple of other chances to put the match to bed.
A bitter but not fatal loss. Leicester is hosed with the toughest remaining schedule and Söyüncü banned for the rest of the season.
Still, a pretty awful day with city wriggling off the hook.
A bitter but not fatal loss. Leicester is hosed with the toughest remaining schedule and Söyüncü banned for the rest of the season.
Still, a pretty awful day with city wriggling off the hook.
Sad. 66 doesn’t seem that long ago!
Just came here to say...we are the true kings of Manchester.
We March On...😇😇😇
As much as I would like us (Arsenal) to win the FA Cup (again), to then be part of European football, dropping out might have a blessing of sorts...
Then, for 2021, we can solely focus on the Premiership and build/rebuild accordingly. However, I also understand some of the financial implications of not being part of a multitude of competitions.
Then, for 2021, we can solely focus on the Premiership and build/rebuild accordingly. However, I also understand some of the financial implications of not being part of a multitude of competitions.