Last week, UEFA suspended the English side from the next two tournaments.
The Argentine has now commented on City’s UCL ban.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi believes it would be “screwed” if Manchester City‘s players were banned from playing in the Champions League for two years. Last week City were hit with a two-year ban from European competition by UEFA for “serious breaches” of Financial Fair Play regulations following an investigation.
City, who were accused of “overstating sponsorship revenue” between 2012 and 2016, have denied any wrongdoing and intend to appeal the sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. However, should the ban stick, it would cast doubts over the futures of players such as Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Messi’s close friend Sergio Aguero.
“It is surprising because nobody thought that such a thing could happen, so powerful,” Messi told Mundo Deportivo. “Paris [Saint-Germain]Â paid a fine or I don’t know how it went. If in the end City does not play in the Champions League for what it is, with the players, the club, and the money it spends, it will be weird.”
