Report: Manchester City Asks Court to Block UEFA's Case for Champions League Ban

Manchester City are reportedly already taking steps to prevent UEFA from banning the club from next season's UEFA Champions League. 

City are under investigation by European football's governing body after accusations of circumventing financial fair play rules appeared in German publication Der Spiegel in 2018.

Being found guilty could result in a ban from Europe's top club tournament. The Premier League champions have responded by asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport to "throw out the case," per Rob Harris of the Associated Press.

UEFA have conducted an independent investigation of allegations made in Der Spiegel, an inquiry that's now led to investigators seeking a ruling and sanction from judges.

Sources speaking to Harris anonymously have revealed City are "challenging the legitimacy and haste of the investigation." City refused to comment to Harris on their request to CAS.

The accusations levelled at City involve concealing profits from inflated commercial arrangements to reduce losses and the risk of incurring FFP penalties, according to Harris.

City may be likely to take on losses given the unprecedented outlay in a playing squad that's set records in English football the past two seasons. The Citizens claimed the Premier League title in 2018 as the "Centurions," the first team to capture the prize with 100 points.

Manager Pep Guardiola and his players did even better this season by completing a domestic treble of the league title, Carabao Cup and FA Cup. It's the first haul of its kind in the English game, yet the questions about possible financial impropriety aren't going away.

City completed the treble by thrashing Watford 6-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium last month. Guardiola's post-match press conference took an intense turn when Harris (h/t Goal's Sam Lee) posed a question that's arisen from the allegations:

Harris defended his right to ask a difficult question at a moment where City were in celebratory mood:

On the pitch, City are still missing glory in the Champions League, making ongoing participation arguably more important to the club than its ability to outspend the rest in the transfer market.