Man City may be forced to sell Girona if both qualify for UCL

City Football Group (CFG) may be forced to sell their stake in Girona if the Spanish side qualifies for the Champions League. The ownership group famously owns Manchester City, Girona, and a plethora of other clubs around the globe. CFG previously purchased a stake in the LaLiga club back in 2017. The transaction occurred as the team began playing in their first-ever top-flight campaign.

The investment group did not expect Girona to be in contention for the Champions League place. After all, the club has never won a significant trophy in their 93-year-old history. Nevertheless, the White and Reds now sit second in the LaLiga table. The top four finishers of the division earn automatic qualification into next season’s Champions League.

While CFG may be thrilled with their investment, UEFA rules do not allow multiple clubs owned by the same group to play in the same competition. Manchester City is almost certain to qualify for the Champions League next season. The reigning European champions also sit second in the Premier League. They remain in this season’s Champions League knockout round as well.

Man City will have to finish higher in the Premier League than Girona in LaLiga

Assuming both teams finish in the top four of their respective leagues, CFG could very well have to sell their stake in one of the clubs. The United Arab Emirates group will, however, not want to sell their prized possession. This certainly means that they will opt to sell their stake in Girona if they have to.

According to a report by The i, UEFA is monitoring the potential problem. They will, however, not issue an official ruling until next season’s Champions League clubs are set in stone. Assuming CFG does not sell either team in the coming months, only the highest-finishing club between the two would earn a place in the competition.

If Girona and Manchester City finish in the same spot in their domestic leagues, the English side would get the nod. This comes down to the governing body’s access list. England tops this list at the moment, which would help Manchester City.

Nevertheless, Girona finishing above Manchester City would provide CFG with a whole separate headache. A situation could arise where City officials could essentially root for Real Madrid and Barcelona to overtake Girona in the standings to help the English side.

Along with selling Girona, CFG-owned clubs could also face possible transfer restrictions, as well as recruitment and commercial sanctions.

Girona has only lost one Spanish top-flight game this season

Girona is undoubtedly one of the top soccer stories in all of Europe. The club only just regained promotion back to the LaLiga in 2022. Despite this, they have been one of the best teams on the continent this season. Girona previously led the league during eight different matchdays throughout the current campaign.

The White and Reds have only lost one LaLiga match this season. This came back in September at the hands of Real Madrid. The two sides are set to face off once again on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The winner of the match, assuming there is one, will take the top spot in the standings.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.