What is Court of Arbitration for Sport? What does CAS decision mean for Man City?

Premier League club Manchester City were handed a huge relief on Monday after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the club's two-year ban from European club competitions. Back in February, UEFA handed the two-year ban after the governing body found Man City guilty of overstating its sponsorship deals and violating the Financial Fair Play regulations. However, the CAR verdict of Man City FFP breach states: "Most of the alleged breaches reported by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the CFCB (UEFA Club Financial Control Body) were either not established or time-barred." CAS found Man City guilty of not cooperating with the CFCB investigations, but since it did not find the presented evidence conclusive enough, the ban was overturned.

Also Read | CAS verdict on Man City: City Champions League Ban Overturned

What is Court of Arbitration for Sport? CAS headquarters, website and more

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Tribunal Arbitral Du Sport) is an independent institution, established back in 1984 to settle disputes related to sports through arbitration (a private dispute resolution procedure). The CAS headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland with courts located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne. Since 2011, Australian lawyer and sports administrator, John Coates, has served as the president of CAS. Here is the CAS website: www.tas-cas.org

What is Court of Arbitration for Sport? Impact of the CAS verdict on Man City

Before understanding the impact of the latest CAS verdict on Man City, it is important to take a look at the potential repercussions if Man City's two-year ban would have been upheld by CAS. Without Champions League football, Man City would have reportedly lost over £200 million in revenue in two years. This coupled with the lack of allure of Europe's premier competition, Man City's activities in the transfer market could have been seriously stifled.

Reports indicated several top stars of the club like Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne were monitored by clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, ready to pounce if the situation at the British club changes. Analysts predicted the lack of UCL football could have pushed back Man City's development by almost two to four years.

Also Read | Man City European Ban Update: As CAS Lifts Ban, Revisiting Man City Vs UEFA Timeline

However, with the two-year ban now no longer a worry, Man City owners could breathe a sigh of relief. City have already secured their qualification for next season's Champions League as they have pretty much sealed their second place in the Premier League behind Liverpool. Pep Guardiola, whose future was up in the air since the ban was announced, is set to remain with the club to oversee their ambitions for UCL glory. Although his contract expires in 2021, the club will be hopeful of a renewal. 

Also, the club's transfer activity will also receive a significant boost. City are reportedly in the market for a new right-sided central defender to play alongside Aymeric Laporte. The likes of John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi have failed to impress with their consistency. With David Silva leaving the club at the end of the season, the Catalan boss could also be enticed to dip in the market to look for a replacement.

However, the major concern for the club will be finding a replacement for Leroy Sane, who left for Bayern Munich last month. Signing players should be easy for the club considering their financial prowess and Champions League football back in their court. 

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Impact of the CAS verdict on Man City's rivals

With Man City and Liverpool securing the top two berths, the race for the final two spots have heated up in recent weeks. Leicester City, who have won just once since football resumed in England, are in danger of falling behind Manchester United to fifth place. With Chelsea also struggling for consistency, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hopeful of pipping the Blues for a third-place finish.

If Man City would have remained banned, their UCL berth would have gone to the team finishing fifth in the Premier League. At one point in time, the likes of Wolves and Sheffield United - although outsiders - were also in contention for Champions League football. Well, Man City would be more than happy to shelve any such arising hopes.

Also Read | Man City ban lifted: RIP FFP Trends On Twitter After CAS Overturns Manchester City's Champions League Ban

(Image Credits: Man City Instagram Handle)