UEFA investigators want City banned from the competition following their investigation into claims they provided misleading statements to UEFA’s financial regulators, according to the New York Times.

Manchester City’s title celebrations were, however, stopped in their tracks as it emerged the Premier League winners face a Champions League ban for alleged financial fair play breaches.

City are believed to have been accused by Uefa investigators of providing “unconvincing” explanations over the club’s finances.

The Sun reports that Uefa’s investigatory panel, led by Yves Leterme, are expected to lodge their report to Europe’s governing body in the next few days – and it is understood they will call for action and recommend a season’s ban for the Prem champions.

That punishment could open the door for fifth-placed Arsenal to be handed a Champions League place even if they lose the Europa League Final to Chelsea.

Pep Guardiola’s side have been on the back foot for months after the “Football Leaks” document dump uncovered a series of allegations.

City were accused of “several alleged violations” of FFP regulations when Uefa announced its formal investigation in March.

That followed initial inquiries which started last year following the Football Leaks claims.

According to the cache of emails published by German magazine Der Spiegel, City allegedly hid at least £70m in funding from owners Abu Dhabi United Group – the financial arm of the Emirate’s ruling family – by claiming it was sponsorship income.

However, the club condemned “the speculation resulting from the illegal hacking and out of context publication of City emails” and added: The accusation of financial irregularities are entirely false.”

Sun Sport revealed in December how senior Uefa figures were demanding “sporting sanctions” against the Etihad club, pending the conclusion of what European football president Aleksander Ceferin described as a “concrete case”.

In February, former Belgian Prime Minister, Leterme, the head of Uefa’s investigatory panel, suggested faced “exclusion from UEFA competition” if “what has been written is true”.

Many, inside and outside City, doubted whether Uefa would actually seek to punish a club which has been bankrolled by the Abu Dhabi government.

Photo Credit: premierleague.com

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has dismissed suggestions he would resign after the Champions League exit against Liverpool.

The Blaugrana threw away a 3-0 first leg lead to lose 4-3 on aggregate in the semi-final clash, in a reverse result which had shades of the exit to Roma 12 months previously.

However, Valverde remains in post and led his side to a two-goal home victory over Getafe on Sunday.

“There is nothing like trying to make a recovery,” Valverde told reporters, as cited by Marca.

“I think it happens to everyone, always, when you have a bump, when you have bad news or when things have not gone well for you at a certain moment – you take the blow, but everyone gets up or at least tries to get up.

“Philippe Coutinho? I have not spoken with him and whilst it is true that some people whistled at him at the start, there were many others who tried to cheer.

“We do not know the extent of the injury, it appears to have come from a clear movement and that makes me a little more cautious.”

Photo Credit: fcbarcelona

Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater has been sentenced to 70-hour community service and banned from driving for 20 months after his £125,000 Range Rover through a wall while twice the legal drink-drive limit.

The 29-year-old and two female passengers were treated for minor injuries after the crash in Mere, Cheshire, on 8 April.

Stockport Magistrates’ Court heard he caused £50,000 of damage to the car.

According to the BBC, Drinkwater admitted drink-driving and was banned for 20 months.

The court heard he suffered a graze to his forehead when his car went through a wall in Ashley Road near to Tatton Park country house.

Prosecutor Subi Chowdhury said Drinkwater himself called emergency services after the crash and admitted drinking alcohol to police officers.

He gave a reading at Middlewich Police station of 87 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, with the legal limit being 35 microgrammes.

Robin Sellars, defending, said Drinkwater was “fully compliant” with police and said he had been to a private function, with a friend expected to drive him home.

However, his friend was unable to do so and Drinkwater decided to drive himself to his home in Nether Alderley, Cheshire.

Mr Sellars added: “He only had himself to blame. He understands he’s done wrong.

“He instructs me he will be employing a driver.”

Mr Sellars said Drinkwater had no previous convictions and asked for him to be punished with a fine rather than community service.

But District Judge Mark Hadfield rejected this and sentenced him to a 12-month community order with 70 hours’ community service.

The former Manchester United trainee was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Mr Hadfield said: “You knew when you got behind the wheel of that vehicle you should not have been driving.”

Goals from Edin Dzeko and Alessandro Florenzi were all AS Roma needed to defeat Juventus as the Giallorossi stay in the fight for fourth to be in the race for Europe.

Dzeko provided an assist for Alessandro Florenzi and scored the second.

Cuadrado should’ve scored after six minutes when sent clear by Emre Can, but Antonio Mirante scrambled across for a fantastic save on the tap-in.

Mirante performed a truly special reaction save to palm Dybala’s curler out of the far top corner after a great solo run from Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, Juve were almost caught out on the counter, Lorenzo Pellegrini’s cross-shot bouncing off the bar with Wojciech Szczesny beaten.

Pellegrini had another attempt on the turn that flashed just wide, but Mirante again came to the rescue with a save that palmed Dybala’s strike on to the inside of the upright to bounce back out.

Giorgio Chiellini made a decisive block as Stephan El Shaarawy traded passes with Edin Dzeko to sprint down the left and cut inside, his shot charged down by the Juve captain.

Blaise Matuidi made a decisive interception to prevent Dzeko tapping in an El Shaarawy cross straight after the restart, then the Little Pharaoh failed to make the most of a double opportunity.

Ronaldo had the ball in the net on 64 minutes when running on to a Dybala pass in midfield, but he had started from a position that was inches offside.

The game somehow remained goalless, as in the space of 60 seconds Mirante used his legs to parry an Emre Can strike, then El Shaarawy’s curler was fingertipped over the bar and Lorenzo Pellegrini went off injured.

Roma eventually broke the deadlock with 10 minutes left on the clock. Florenzi exchanged passes with Dzeko to break down the right and as Szczesny came tearing out, he dinked the delicate and precise finish over the goalkeeper into the far bottom corner.

Juve tried to fight back, but Cuadrado slipped to spark a counter-attack and Cengiz Under rolled across for Dzeko to hit it first time past Szczesny for 2-0 in stoppages.

Photo Credit: asroma.com