Man City and PSG given boost over FFP

The Premier League and Ligue 1 champions received a range of sanctions last month for failing to comply with UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, including fines, capped wage bills and restrictions to net transfer spending.

Arguably the most potentially damaging FFP punishment handed to both clubs was a reduction of their Champions League squad from 25 to 21 players.

Under UEFA rules, eight members of full-size Champions League squads must be home trained and, had this number been retained in the reduced City and PSG "A" lists, their room for manoeuvre in the transfer market this summer might have been significantly hindered.

Speaking at the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo about the decision, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said: "It came after a request from the players union FIFPro saying, when you take these kind of sanctions and measures, you cannot harm the players and the rights of a player who has a contract for the behaviour of the clubs.

"So we looked at it and it was felt appropriate there for the number to be proportionally reduced as well."

The ruling comes as a particular boost to City, even allowing for the club's largely measured public response to the FFP sanctions.

Belgian defender Dedryck Boyata, who qualifies as home trained having progressed through City's youth system, was handed a new two-year contract last month despite playing just six games last term - four of those coming in the club's triumphant Capital One Cup campaign.