Economic crash, corporate image and loss of points • These are just some of UEFA's heavy punishment for Manchester City following a "flagrant violation" of Fair Play: two years' exclusion from the Champions League and a € 30 million fine

• Leroy Sana in the photo represents. The Citizens are in shock

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England and the world continue to analyze the penalty suffered by Manchester City over the weekend and try to understand the consequences that will follow.

The reigning champion of England and one of the world's largest and wealthiest teams has been ousted by UEFA from European establishments for the next two years and may face another penalty for a Premier League point reduction from the local association. Reason: "blatant" violation of existing European football laws.

City was also fined € 30 million, but that's a small amount of money in the big story. The group has announced that it intends to appeal the decision, but to its regret, it is both the great criminal in the story and the great victim. In which case, there is nowhere to escape.

Manchester City is the culprit for having committed serious financial offenses designed to help it comply with UEFA's financial regulations ten years ago, the so-called "Fair Play Economic", whose purpose was to prevent gaps between the large and small groups and the possibility of financial debt accumulation.

After a lengthy investigation, it became clear that City was hiding payments, paying private individuals and inflating sponsorship deals. The documents show that Manchester club owners, Sheikh Mansur Bin Zayed, were the ones who funded a £ 70m sponsorship deal from his own pocket - something that was banned.

Pep headache. Will stay for next season? // Photo: AP

In her response, which came very quickly, highlighting the fact that City anticipated this sentence, the English champion wrote: "We are disappointed, but not surprised. This is a UEFA-created case and tried by UEFA. We will seek justice as soon as possible." .

Not the first criminal

That reaction oozes a ton of victimhood, and not by chance. Since 2011, when the Fair Play laws were created to restrict the economic spread of big clubs, there have been many who have bent them. City, PSG, Milan and others have committed such and other offenses - and still come out clean. The current case, set in the most severe penalty in UEFA history, looks like a war that the European Football Organization is not about to lose.

Citi is not the first criminal, but she is the one who stretches the tightest rope until it is torn. Many on the continent are worried that another UEFA collapse will severely violate the rules of the Fair Play, so the impression is that this time it will not give up on the city. Javier Tabas, president of the Spanish association, welcomed: "UEFA finally takes steps later than never ".

Since this is the case, the question arises: What's next? This penalty, which does not apply to the club's women's team, will only take effect from next season, meaning City will continue it current as usual and play against Real Madrid in the Champions League eighth.

Manchester City's next season and future are already the bigger question mark hovering over Ithihad Stadium. Manager Pep Guardiola recently announced his intention to stay until the end of his contract (2021), but recent events may change things. Senior players will also consider whether to stay in the team or whether to arrive, and it is clear that Guardiola's departure will influence their decision.

Manchester City players. Which of them intends to stay next season as well? // Photo: Reuters

Financially, participating in the Champions League is worth around 100 million euros a season, and that exclusion will seriously damage City's pocket, which will also lose points. In England there are sailing to the provinces of "the end of the age", "apocalypse" and so on, but history proves that such proclamations must wait.

Many large groups across Europe experienced similar crises and were absent from the Champions League for these and other reasons, but the basis allowed them to rise. Certainly City's image has been hit the hardest, but it is too early to know where the spirit is in this interesting and precocious story.