Man City and Girona Cleared for Champions League Amid Major UEFA Ruling—But There’s a Catch
Manchester City have received the green light from UEFA to compete in the Champions League for the 2024/25 season, after an investigation into their ties with sister-club Girona. However, significant restrictions have been placed on transfers between the two clubs.
UEFA’s scrutiny came as Girona, another club under the City Football Group (CFG) umbrella, qualified for the Champions League for the first time. This raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest due to multi-club ownership. However, after ‘significant changes’ to Girona’s ownership structure, UEFA has allowed both clubs to participate in the next Champions League season. The changes included the resignation of three Girona directors linked to CFG and their replacement by independent lawyers from a Cheltenham-based firm. Additionally, CFG’s shares in Girona were placed into a blind trust.
In a statement, UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) confirmed they had opened proceedings due to “a potential conflict with the multi-club ownership rule.” Following the implementation of these changes, the CFCB accepted the admission of both clubs to the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.
UEFA noted that City and Girona demonstrated no overlap in management or control that could influence sporting performance across both clubs. The changes have substantially restricted CFG’s influence over Girona, transferring CFG’s shares to independent trustees through a blind trust structure under CFCB supervision.
“Such blind trust was accepted by the CFCB First Chamber on an exceptional basis for the 2024/25 UEFA competitions. The trustees will regularly exchange information with the CFCB First Chamber during the 2024/25 season,” UEFA added.
However, the approval comes with strict conditions. City and Girona are barred from transferring players to each other from July 2024 to September 2025, including both permanent and loan transfers. This restriction could disrupt expected moves, such as the potential transfer of Savio from Troyes to City. Savio, who spent last season on loan at Girona, was anticipated to return there after signing with City, but this will no longer be feasible.
The two clubs are also prohibited from sharing joint scouting or player databases during this period. According to UEFA, from July 1, 2025, CFG’s shares in Girona, currently in the blind trust, will be transferred back, concluding the temporary arrangement.
Manchester City will undoubtedly be relieved to maintain their Champions League status, but the imposed transfer ban between the two clubs poses new challenges for their strategic planning and player development. The ruling highlights UEFA’s increasing vigilance over multi-club ownership structures and their implications for fair competition in European football.
