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Manchester City will learn their Champions League fate on Monday morning with CAS decision imminent

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Getty Images

Manchester City will find out at 9.30am on Monday if they have successfully overturned their Champions League ban.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has reached a decision and confirmed the time and date of their verdict. City appealed Uefa’s punishment for “serious breaches” of Financial Fair Play during a three-day hearing last month.

Pep Guardiola is expecting positive news – saying he is convinced they will clear their name after seeing the evidence laid out to CAS.

On the day of the draw for the remaining stages of this season’s Champions League campaign, Guardiola made it clear he is planning for the future.

He said: “The intention is every season to play in the Champions League as best as possible. It’s not about Monday. On Monday I’m so confident because I know and hear the arguments of the club.

“Next season we will be there and after (the ruling) I will give my opinion and the club will give a statement.”

City could face Juventus in the quarter-finals and Barcelona in the semis. But Guardiola is refusing to look beyond Real Madrid, who City hold a 2-1 advantage over after the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

Describing them as the “kings” of Europe, he insists his entire focus is on Zinedine Zidane’s side.

City’s cause won’t be helped by Sergio Aguero’s absence, with Guardiola also confirming the Argentine will not recover from knee surgery in time to take part in the game next month.

“We play against Real Madrid,” he said. “If we think about the next step the king of this competition, Real Madrid, will put us out.

“In this club, there is not one person who knows Real Madrid better than me,” he said. “Their potential and history and we have to play this game.”

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Guardiola convinced Man City Champions League ban will be overturned