• Manchester City might not play in the next UEFA Champions League.

• Girona FC, part of the same ownership group as Man City, could qualify for the Champions League too.

• UEFA rules prevent two clubs with common ownership from playing in the same competition.

Manchester City is currently worried about their chance to compete in next season's UEFA Champions League. Despite being current champions and facing off against FC Copenhagen tonight, it’s actually their "sister" club Girona's success that’s causing concern. Under coach Michel, Girona has climbed to second place in La Liga, trailing behind Real Madrid by five points but on a clear path towards securing a spot in Europe’s top football competition.

The issue arises because both Manchester City and Girona are partially owned by the City Football Group (CFG). Since 2017 when CFG bought into Girona—now holding a 47% stake—a potential conflict of interest looms over European competitions due to UEFA regulations. These rules strictly prohibit two teams under similar control or influence from participating simultaneously in its tournaments.

As things stand toward this season's end, both Manchester City and Girona find themselves positioned second within their respective leagues Premier League and La Liga. According to existing guidelines only one can make it through should they finish similarly placed; Pep Guardiola’s squad would likely get precedence based on past achievements including winning last year's final against Inter Milan.

Furthermore, attention is drawn towards an ongoing evaluation by UEFA concerning these intertwined relationships between clubs like Manchester United also possibly affected given new connections with French team Nice via minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. This scrutiny reflects growing concerns around shared ownership models’ impacts on competitive integrity across European football landscapes