A look at what’s happening around European soccer on Monday:
MANCHESTER CITY VERDICT
Manchester City will discover if it is to be banned from European competitions for the next two seasons. The Court of Arbitration for Sport delivers its verdict at 0830 GMT after hearing City’s appeal against the UEFA sanctions for breaching Financial Fair Play rules. Currently second in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s side has secured qualification for next season’s Champions League.
ENGLAND
A beneficiary of Manchester City being banned from the Champions League could be rival Manchester United, which is fifth heading into Monday’s game against Southampton. Fifth place would take the fourth qualification spot if second-place City isn’t allowed into European football’s elite competition. United may not need help, anyway. It will move up to third if it beats Southampton after weekend losses for Chelsea and Leicester.
SPAIN
Real Madrid visits midtable Granada looking to reopen a four-point lead over Barcelona and move closer to its first Spanish league title in three years. Zinedine Zidane’s Madrid would then need another victory - or two draws - from its final two matches to clinch the title. Barcelona, the two-time defending champion, stayed within a point after a 1-0 win at Valladolid on Saturday.
ITALY
Inter Milan needs a win to boost morale after a disappointing series of results. Antonio Conte’s side has dropped to fourth in Serie A after a draw at Hellas Verona and a dispiriting home loss to Bologna. While it has a cushion of 11 points ahead of fifth-place Roma and a solid hold on the final Champions League place, a victory at home to relegation-threatened Torino would help to restore Inter’s confidence. Torino is five points above the drop zone.
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