Chelsea, City may face Cup ban for failing to comply with 'Financial Fair Play' rules

London, Apr 29(ANI): English clubs Chelsea and Manchester City are in danger of being kicked out of the Champions League if they fail to comply with UEFA's hard-hitting Financial Fair Play rules, which would be applied from this season.

Europe's football bosses have warned big spenders Chelsea and City to check their spending or they may be forced to cut back their Champions League squads, and even be disqualified from taking part in the European competition.

Under UEFA's tough Financial Fair Play rules, clubs are allowed to make losses of no more than 36 million pounds over two years.

City reported a whopping 197 million pound loss last year, while Chelsea's deficit was 67.7 million pound, and both are clubs are expected to splash cash this summer to rebuild their squad.

Alasdair Bell, UEFA's director of legal affairs, insisted last week that serious sanctions would apply to clubs who miss the 36 million pound limit by more than 20 per cent.

In the first instance, UEFA will force offending clubs to withdraw up to five players from their 25-strong Champions League squads for the 2013 competition, and repeated offenders will face being thrown out of the Champions League from the following year.

"Sanctions need to be sufficiently effective and credible to make people abide by the rules. If we're not capable of enforcing the system, in a way in which makes Financial Fair Play a reality, then we might as well forget it," The Daily Mail quoted Bell, as saying.

"Clubs who maybe have made more serious and effective efforts to bring their own house in order will expect the rules to be applied to those who have not done that," he added. (ANI)