Manchester City handed two-year ban from European competition by UEFA

Manchester City have been banned from UEFA competitions for two seasons and fined 30 million euros for breaching club licensing and financial fair play regulations.

UEFA have confirmed the outcome following a hearing held by the organisation's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) in January.

"The Adjudicatory Chamber [of the CFCB], having considered all the evidence, has found that Manchester City Football Club committed serious breaches of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations by overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016," a UEFA statement read.

"The Adjudicatory Chamber has imposed disciplinary measures on Manchester City Football Club directing that it should be excluded from participation in UEFA club competitions in the next two seasons (ie. the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons) and pay a fine of 30 million euros."

Manchester City have appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"Manchester City are disappointed but not surprised by today's announcement by the UEFA Adjudicatory Chamber.

"The Club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position," Manchester City have said in a statement.

"In December 2018, the UEFA Chief Investigator publicly previewed the outcome and sanction he intended to be delivered to Manchester City, before any investigation had even begun.

"The subsequent flawed and consistently leaked UEFA process he oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver.

"The Club has formally complained to the UEFA Disciplinary body, a complaint which was validated by a CAS ruling.

"Simply put, this is a case initiated by UEFA, prosecuted by UEFA and judged by UEFA. With this prejudicial process now over, the Club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity."