Manchester United Could Be Set for Champions League Return as FIFA Threaten All Swiss Sides With Ban

Old Trafford side set for reprieve?

Manchester United could make a surprise return to this season’s Champions League after Fifa threatened to ban Swiss teams from all football. Uefa said it would review who would replace Basel in the knockout stages should the club be prevented from playing.

The Swiss Football Association has been given a deadline of 13 January to follow Fifa’s instructions on the registration ban imposed on Sion or face a suspension, which would mean Basel’s expulsion from the Champions League. Uefa confirmed this could lead to Sir Alex Ferguson’s side returning to the competition as they finished third behind Basel in the group stage. Another option could be that Bayern Munich, drawn against Basel in the last 16, are given a bye.

United are scheduled to play Ajax in the last 32 of the Europa League, with the away leg on 16 February.

Uefa’s head of communications, Rob Faulkner, told Observer Sport on Saturday night: “Uefa is confident that the Swiss FA will comply with the Fifa request before the deadline of 13 January 2012 and before the Champions League round-of-16 first leg match between Basel and Bayern Munich on 22 February. Should this not be the case Uefa will review the situation nearer the time.”

SOURCE: Guardian

Could Man United find themselves back in the Champions League? Well it’s a long shot, it seems unlikely that the Swiss FA would risk the entire federation being banned (national team to boot) over the behaviour of one club. Sion were of course already expelled from the Europa League, which led to the reinstatement of Celtic in that competition, could a ban on all teams from Switzerland do likewise for the Old Trafford side?

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