'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In what will come as a blow to UEFA’s aspirations of enforcing Financial Fair Play, they have had to ‘rewrite the rules’ to allow Manchester City to escape any such sanctions.
City were initially punished by UEFA and were allowed to field only a 21-man squad for the Champions League. But with that sanction, even the quota for the club-trained players had to be reduced in the face of legal action being taken by the Manchester club.
With the new rule, Man City will field only one club-trained player in the Champions League squad. The other three Premier League clubs Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal must have at least four.
FIFPro involved in bending rules for Man City after UEFA trim squad
According to The Independent, FIFPro may have pressurized UEFA into allowing the club to field more foreign players instead of home-grown players.
Their argument revolves around the fact that UEFA could be found guilty of restricting movement of players. There are provisions in the Treaty on freedom of movement for persons/workers which cannot be circumvented and failing to adhere to these regulations will invite strict legal action.
When City’s squad was trimmed to 21, only 13 foreign players could be fielded while four players had to be those trained by the club.
But this rule now allows City to field only one club-trained player – Dedryck Boyata – who will be in the Champions League squad. UEFA had no choice but to allow them to field more foreigners because of the reduced squad numbers.
The issue didn’t come to light until Manchester City’s final squad for the Champions League was announced. City have only four association-trained players in Joe Hart, Frank Lampard, Gael Clichy and James Milner.
Home-grown players rule changed by UEFA?
Football law specialist Daniel Geey said: “UEFA have effectively rewritten their home grown player rule.”
“There is nothing in UEFA or FFP regulations about the home-grown rule changing.”
He also feels that the reduced squad numbers to 21 meant that the domestic quota should have also been reduced proportionately.
“Five out of 21 was not a proportionate reduction,” he explained.
UEFA released a statement that said: “As additional information was needed regarding the implementation of this specific sanction in the settlement agreement, there was a subsequent consultation with concerned stakeholders which allowed Uefa to clarify the quantity of home-grown players required for the 2014-15 club competition season.”
