Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expects to win Champions League ban appeal

Pep Guardiola is confident that Manchester City will escape punishment from Uefa when the Court of Arbitration for Sport returns its verdict on Monday.

City appealed against their two-year ban from the Champions League for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations, with the CAS hearing taking place via video link last month.

The Premier League club denied any wrongdoing when their punishment was announced in February and insisted that they will be exonerated by the appeal process.

Guardiola, meanwhile, has always said that he has complete trust in the City hierarchy after listening to their arguments and seeing the evidence for himself.

“The intention is, every season, to play in the Champions League and do the best as possible. It’s not about what is going to happen on Monday,” Guardiola said on Friday.

“But on Monday, I’m so confident because I know, and hear, and saw, the arguments of the club that next season we will be there.

“But we have to wait and after I will give my opinion and the club will give a statement.”

Guardiola is otherwise preparing his side for a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid next month, which Uefa have confirmed will be played at the Etihad.

However, City will have to overcome Madrid without Sergio Aguero, who has not played since suffering a knee injury in a 5-0 Premier League win over Burnley last month.

Guardiola ruled Aguero out of the meeting with Madrid, set to be played on 7 August, insisting: “I told you many times, no [he will not be fit]. No.”

City learned on Friday that if they progress past Madrid with their 2-1 first leg lead, they will play either Juventus or Lyon in the quarter-finals.

One of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Napoli or Chelsea will await in the semi-finals if City reach the last four.

But Guardiola refused to look past the quarter-finals. “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. Their potential and history and we have to play this game.

“I saw the draw maybe two or three hours after it was made. I’ve got Brighton and continue to prepare for Arsenal (in the FA Cup).

“After that we have two games and a potential final to prepare for Real Madrid. That’s all I have in my mind.”

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