Man City given two-season European ban
Manchester City say 'disappointed but not surprised by today's announcement'
NYON, Switzerland: Manchester City have been banned from European competitions for the next two seasons for "serious financial fair-play breaches", UEFA announced on Friday.
The English champions, who were also fined 30 million euros ($32.5 million), immediately announced they were appealing the suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) "at the earliest opportunity".
"Manchester City is disappointed but not surprised by today's announcement by the UEFA Adjudicatory Chamber," the club said.
"The... flawed and consistently leaked UEFA process he (the UEFA chief investigator) oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver...
"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" at CAS.
Pep Guardiola's City face Real Madrid in this season's Champions League last 16.
Announcing the ban a UEFA statement declared: "The Adjudicatory Chamber has imposed disciplinary measures on Manchester City Football Club directing that it shall be excluded from participation in UEFA club competitions in the next two seasons (ie. the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons)."
European football's governing body said that City "failed to cooperate in the investigation".