With Girona all set to qualify for the Champions League next season, and the probable presence of Manchester City in Europe’s elite tournament – City Football Group (CFG) are set for structural alteration to ensure both the clubs can play in the UCL.
Manchester City are indulged in yet another title battle with Arsenal and Liverpool in Premier League, which means that securing Champions League place will not be anything then mere formality. Man City’s sister club Girona are themselves in a top of the table fight for La Liga title with Real Madrid in Spain.
Nevertheless this situation erupts significant concern in certain circles about whether both clubs could participate in the Champions League come next season as both the clubs come same ownership i.e. by the City Football Group and all the off-the-pitch ties. However, despite the concern from the outside – it seems that City Group are well prepped with define strategies to walk beyond the issue and on how both the clubs could be feasible to play in Champions League without them (CFG) having to divest any ownership shares.
According to journalist Álvaro de Grado, both the clubs will have to make their ‘internal management’ independent of one another as per UEFA regulations to be feasible to compete in the Champions League next season. Furthermore, while CFG would maintain co-ownership of Manchester City as well as Girona, a separate link would need to be established between both the clubs in-order to facilitate the transfer of players, in layman’s terms – City & Girona will have to ‘restructure their relationship agreement’ to qualify to compete in Champions League next season.
The limelight to this sister-club situation at City has grown following rumours about Brazilian winger Savio moving to Manchester City from another of CFG sister sides Troyes and after spending a season on loan at Girona.