Explained: Why Man City could drop out of next season's Champions League if they fail to win the Premier League title

Pep Guardiola’s side, who won a historic Treble in 2022-23, are currently five points adrift of Liverpool in the English top-flight. Time is still on their side when it comes to closing that gap, but missing out on a domestic crown could lead to more than mere frustration at the Etihad Stadium.

City Football Group also own a stake in Spanish side Girona, and they are currently riding high in the Liga table. A surprising title triumph could be on the cards there, and that could confuse matters when it comes to elite European competition. As things stand, UEFA regulations dictate that no teams from the same ownership group can compete against one another.

If two teams working under a shared ownership umbrella qualify for the same competition, then the one finishing highest in their respective division gets the place. So, if Girona were to win La Liga and City ended as runners-up in the Premier League, then Guardiola’s side would have to drop into the Europa League.

There is no suggestion that Girona will be told to ease off if that situation becomes a distinct possibility, with Real Madrid still hot on their heels. There have also been examples of UEFA finding a way around ownership rules, with RB Leipzig and FC Salzburg allowed to compete alongside one another in the Champions League despite being run by the Red Bull Group.

There may also be an issue on the red side of Manchester at some stage in the future following confirmation of Sir Jim Ratcliffe acquiring a stake in United. His INEOS group also own Nice, who sit second in Ligue 1 at the moment, and it is possible that they and Red Devils from Old Trafford could qualify for the same UEFA competition at some point.