Man City Players Could Legally Terminate Contracts if Champions League Ban Upheld
It appears that Manchester City players could have the right to legally terminate their contracts should their 2 year Champions League ban be upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
This is according to Top Sports Lawyer John Mehrzad of Chambers and partners:
1. It is arguable that Man City’s conduct (subject to CAS appeal) in breaching UEFA (and it would seem PL) regulations would be a breach of the implied term of trust and confidence in City’s player contracts.
2. City players could argue that the club has acted in a way that has destroyed their ability to play in UEFA Champions League for 2 seasons.
3. Such conduct goes to the root of being a professional footballer at the highest level – ie an ability to play in the highest level of European club competition if the club qualifies in the usual way.
4. City players could contend that their player contracts have been fundamentally undermined – and resign in response, effectively becoming ‘free agents’.
5. UK employment law would, I suspect, look favourably on player’s arguments if they resigned as City’s conduct (again subject to CAS appeal) has deprived them of playing in champs league – and it can be safely assumed achieving related bonus payments.
6. FIFA (then CAS) would need to be persuaded that City players had ‘just cause’ to terminate contracts. FIFA views ‘contractual stability’ as sacrosanct – but calculated acts by a club that deprive a player of their ability to perform as envisaged is arguably ‘just cause’.
LFCHQ.NET Verdict: LAUGH OUT LOUD!
