According to an exclusive in Wednesday’s Daily Mail, Arsenal have teamed up with Liverpool, Manchester United and the rest of the top 10 to stop Manchester City getting back into the Champions League.
Manchester City are currently under a two-year ban from the Champions League. As things stand, if the 19/20 season is able to complete, City will not be allowed to play in the competition if they finish in the top four and their slot will go to fifth place.
City, however, are appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but with the world on hold, it’s not clear when that hearing will take place.
In the meantime, the Mail report that the rest of the Premier League’s top 10 clubs (minus City and Sheffield United) “have submitted a joint application to the Court of Arbitration for Sport which will hear City’s appeal against their punishment from UEFA for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
“The group, which includes the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, have separately written to the same law firm, which has then sent an application backed by all to the arbitration body.
“It states that should City request that their punishment is ‘ stayed’ while their appeal is ongoing, all the clubs strongly object. It is understood, however, that such a request has not been lodged by the Premier League champions.”
Under Arteta, Arsenal looked like they could get themselves up as high as fifth, so it’s not hard to see why they would be involved.
What happens moving forward, however, is anyone’s guess.