Why are Manchester City in today’s Champions League draw? That is the question a number of clubs are asking as they gather in the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco where the group phase matchups will be determined this evening.

The Premier League winners were referred to Uefa’s adjudicatory chamber in May after European football’s ruling body decided that City had breached financial fair play rules. The English champions strenuously deny the allegations, which suggest the club’s owner Sheikh Mansour disguised direct investment as sponsorship from Abu Dhabi companies. The penalty for such a transgression could be a suspension from the Champions League.

Yet three months on from the case being passed to the body that can enact the ban, City are in the draw for Europe’s most prestigious competition. The group stage will be well under way before the adjudicatory chamber produces a verdict and sentence.

City will immediately appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The club have already been in contact with the Lausanne-based organisation to seek clarification about the case.

It seems almost inconceivable that Uefa will be lenient and a courtroom battle that could even go beyond the CAS and into the Swiss legal system is looming. The question some are asking is should Uefa have moved more speedily and forced City out of the competition this season?

Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams Show all 17 1 /17 Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams Champions League Group Stage Power Rankings All 16 remaining teams ranked from those with the worst chances of winning the big prize to those with the best. Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 16. Atalanta FERRARA, ITALY - AUGUST 25: Luis Muriel of Atalanta BC celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Serie A match between SPAL and Atalanta BC at Stadio Paolo Mazza on August 25, 2019 in Ferrara, Italy. (Photo by Mario Carlini / Iguana Press/Getty Images) Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 15. Lyon Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais' Houssem Aouar celebrates after the match REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot EMMANUEL FOUDROT REUTERS Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 14. Valencia LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - AUGUST 04: Kevin Gameiro (R) celebrates the second goal during the pre-season friendly match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Valencia at BayArena on August 04, 2019 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images) Bongarts/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 13. Napoli Napoli's Italian forward Lorenzo Insigne (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty kick during the Italian Serie A football match Fiorentina vs Napoli on August 24, 2019 at the Artemio-Franchi stadium in Florence. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 12. Tottenham Hotspur LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 10, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 11. Chelsea Chelsea's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Europa League final football match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at the Baku Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijian, on May 29, 2019. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 10. Atletico Madrid MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 18: Joao Felix, Kieran Trippier, Alvaro Morata and Jose Gimenez of Atletico Madrid celebrate after the Liga match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Getafe CF at Wanda Metropolitano on August 18, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 9. RB Leipzig Leipzig's players celebrate with the supporters at the end of the German first division Bundesliga football match RB Leipzig v Eintracht Frankfurt in Leipzig, eastern Germany on August 25, 2019. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) / RESTRICTIONS: DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo credit should read JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 8. Borussia Dortmund COLOGNE, GERMANY - AUGUST 23: Paco Alcacer of Borussia Dortmund (2R) celebrates with his team mates after scoring his side's third goal during the Bundesliga match between 1. FC Koeln and Borussia Dortmund at RheinEnergieStadion on August 23, 2019 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Bongarts/Getty Images) Bongarts/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 7. Bayern Munich GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - AUGUST 24: Robert Lewandowski Muenchen celebrate with his team mates after he scores the 2nd goal during the Bundesliga match between FC Schalke 04 and FC Bayern Muenchen at Veltins-Arena on August 24, 2019 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images) Bongarts/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 6. Real Madrid Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the Spanish League football match between Real Madrid and Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on August 24, 2019. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP) (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 5. Manchester City BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 25: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City hugs David Silva of Manchester City after the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City at Vitality Stadium on August 25, 2019 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 4. Juventus Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo waits for the VAR decision after opening the scoring during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match Juventus vs Ajax Amsterdam on April 16, 2019 at the Juventus stadium in Turin. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 3. PSG Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender Thiago Silva celebrates after a goal of Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender Marquinhos (unseen) during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Toulouse (TFC) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on August 25, 2019. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 2. Barcelona BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Lionel Messi of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Getty Images Power rankings: Champions League last 16 teams 1. Liverpool MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 01: Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool celebrates with the Champions League Trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on June 01, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Getty Images

There is very little sympathy for City among the other clubs in the Champions League. There is even less from Arsenal, in town for tomorrow’s Europa League draw. Had Pep Guardiola’s side been excluded this season, the Gunners could have expected to replace them.

Most rival teams across Europe would have preferred that scenario. What makes the situation far more troublesome for Uefa is that City are serious contenders to reach the final in Istanbul next May. Guardiola’s expensively-acquired squad are feared across the continent. The Etihad’s spending power, backed by Abu Dhabi state wealth, inspires envy and disgust in equal measures. Much of this is hypocritical. AC Milan were banned from European competition this season for financial transgressions in what appears to be a conveniently-timed fudge – the Italian club have no regrets about losing out on a Europa League campaign. Nevertheless, there will be significant levels of glee across the game if City are seen to get their comeuppance.

Even when Uefa make their ruling, the CAS appeal will likely rumble on until next spring. By then the knockout phase will be in full flow. It seems certain City will come through their group with relative ease. The adjudicatory chamber’s apparent footdragging will look very bad if Guardiola’s team are advancing towards the final or – even worse from Uefa’s point of view – go on to win the trophy.

So why have the ruling body let this happen? Uefa are certain of City’s guilt but understand that the club will fight any ban to the bitter end. In Nyon they know that any procedural or evidential mistakes will be pounced upon. City’s lawyers will subject Uefa to the harshest scrutiny and not only will the CAS need to be provided with irrefutable evidence but every potential loophole has to be closed. The Etihad says that there is no proof of wrongdoing and suspect that Uefa have made mistakes in their methods. The courtroom battle will be played out against the more edifying backdrop of action on the pitch.

There are things though that are much more simple. Liverpool, the holders, and City top the list of teams that everyone else in the draw wants to avoid. The Premier League has emerged from a relatively disappointing decade in Europe’s most glamorous tournament. Only Chelsea, in 2012, and Liverpool this year brought the trophy back across the channel in a period where Real Madrid and Barcelona shared seven successes. Yet England is well set to replace Spain as the dominant nation over the coming years.

City are likely to be the story of the 2019/20 Champions League (EPA)

Jurgen Klopp takes a more cautious view. The Liverpool manager is keen to talk up the strength of the opposition and play down the chances of his team reaching a third consecutive final and winning back-to-back trophies.

“I have no clue who will win the Champions League,” he said. “We have the same chance like everyone else, but that is all. No, I don’t see us, the English teams, dominating. I really think a lot of teams have a good chance.”

The 52-year-old is aware that luck plays a huge part in any knockout competition. “Last year we deserved it [in the semi-final] against Barcelona but we were lucky as well. Tottenham were lucky against Ajax. After the first game of the semis, everyone would have said the final would be Ajax versus Barcelona, but it was Tottenham and Liverpool.

Klopp is unsure of Liverpool’s chances of retaining their European crown (Getty) (Getty Images)

“So we had to really fight for it with everything. You need luck in the right moments.

“I will have no problem with it [reaching the final] if it happens again, but at this moment I am not too sure it will happen again.”