Manchester City will play in next season’s Champions League

Manchester City are set to take part in next season’s Champions League, despite the investigation into whether they breached Financial Fair Play rules, Sportsmail understands.

UEFA’s watchdog is looking into the Premier League champions and – should they be found guilty – a ban from the competition is likely.

However, no verdict has yet been reached. And it can be disclosed that a meeting will take place next week, at which City will be present, but a decision is not expected at it.

The timeframe means that even if City are found guilty and banned at a later date a subsequent appeal from the club – which would be almost certain – is unlikely to be heard and ruled upon before August, when the 2020 Champions League starts.

City have been referred to UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body, following the publishing of hacked documents in German newspaper Der Spiegel which alleged the Abu-Dhabi owned club had inflated the value of a sponsorship deal in what was claimed to be an attempt to circumvent FFP rules and mislead.

City strongly deny the allegations and appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to have the case thrown out. 

However, in November CAS said the appeal was inadmissible at that stage because no punishment, should they be found guilty, had been determined. That appeal will not have accelerated the process.

UEFA’s watchdog is looking into Manchester City and alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play

A verdict was expected before Christmas but the probe is continuing. as are enquiries from the Premier League, which is also looking at the matter.

City, who in 2014 were fined £49million for breaching FFP rules, have remained tight-lipped on the matter but in May claimed the decision to refer their case included ‘mistakes, misinterpretations and confusions fundamentally borne out of a basic lack of due process’.

Both UEFA and City declined to comment.