Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has claimed he has seen proof why they should not be banned from European competitions.
City have been handed a two-year suspension, after UEFA found the Premier League champions guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
The Etihad club have already moved to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Speaking at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, ahead of their Champions League last-16 first leg against Real Madrid, Guardiola said: “We were under suspicion for a long time, we have the right to appeal and I trust the people in my club.
“They explain the reasons, they showed me the arguments and the proofs. We are optimistic that finally if we deserve to be in the Champions League we can do it next season, if finally, it doesn’t happen we have to accept and move forward.
“My trust is with the club. I know them. We are going to see what happens with CAS.”
