Kevin De Bruyne talks about the European Cup suspension against Manchester City after the win against West Ham. The former Bundesliga professional sees the situation soberly.
The European Cup suspension against English football champions Manchester City has not had a lasting effect on the players – at least that’s how former Bundesliga professional Kevin De Bruyne sees it.
“We were on holiday when the news came. We came back and played football. The situation is what it is,” the Belgian said after the 2-0 (1-0) draw with West Ham United in the catch-up match.
Nothing has changed in the daily training routine either. “We trained normally, in the end nothing really changes for us. We’ll just play the games we have,” said the 28-year-old. “I think the team has made a statement. I don’t know what else we players could do,” he continued.
City banned from European Cup competitions
The independent financial control body CFCB of the European Football Union (UEFA) last Friday excluded City from all European Cup competitions for the next two seasons. The club was also sentenced to a fine of 30 million euros.
The club, which is largely owned by the ruling family of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, has overstated sponsorship income on its balance sheet for the period 2012-2016, the CFCB said. Furthermore, City had not cooperated sufficiently during the investigations.
The club has already announced that it will take its case to the International Court of Justice for Sport (CAS).