Man City captain Vincent Kompany believes UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules are "designed to subdue teams with recent investment, such as his club, and prevent them from competing with the long-established giants" of European football, according to Tom Hayward of REUTERS. Since Owner Sheikh Mansour bought the club in '08, Man City has "invested heavily in an attempt to break into the European hierarchy" -- winning the Premier League title in 2012 and 2014 -- but has since been punished for "failing to comply with the regulations." UEFA said its FFP regulations were "designed to limit reckless spending and ensure clubs operated within their means." Last May, Man City was "handed a fine" of €60M and had "restrictions placed" on its European squad and transfer dealings. Kompany said the rules only serve to "maintain the status quo." Kompany: "If you go into the business world you can't say to anyone they cannot invest. I understand the fans have to be protected, the clubs have to be protected but plans need to be accepted. ... What you do is actually protect the few who already have the things geared up to create enough revenue for them to invest more than anyone else." In December, Chelsea Manager José Mourinho said that the FFP rules were a "contradiction and designed to protect large clubs with a long history of success" (REUTERS, 4/12).
