Celtic and Manchester United could get a Champions League boost
with Portuguese sides facing expulsion from the lucrative
competition.
FIFA have confirmed they could impose a ban on Portuguese football
which would result in Benfica being excluded from European
competition.
Group F is set to get under way on September 13 with Benfica due to
travel to Denmark to face FC Copenhagen on the same night as the
Scottish champions visit Old Trafford.
However, Portuguese minnows Gil Vicente have taken legal action
against their football association (FPF) after being relegated last
season for gaining eligibility for a player - Angola star Mateus -
at a civil court.
FIFA have given the FPF a deadline of September 14 to resolve the
situation or face disciplinary action, which could see a ban being
imposed on Portugal's national team and clubs.
Benfica could be banned from the Champions League, leaving possibly
just three teams competing for the two top places and a place in
the money-spinning knock-out stages.
A FIFA spokesman said: "There is a possibility of this
existing.
"There is an issue in Portugal with the club Gil Vicente, who are
in dispute with the Portuguese Football Association.
"Because of this we have asked the Portuguese Football Association
to solve the problem internally or with the sporting governing
bodies.
"They have until September 14 to resolve the matter but after the
deadline we would submit the case to the emergency committee and
they would review the matter.
"A ban is an option and when a federation is banned there are no
international matches to be played by that nation and the clubs so
that would affect the Champions League."
UEFA have also admitted Porto, who are in Arsenal's group, and
Sporting Lisbon could be excluded from the Champions League.
European football's governing body have been looking at which teams
could be drafted in as replacements but the timing of FIFA's action
may leave them with no option but to have just three teams in Group
F and three in Group G.
A UEFA spokesman told the Daily Record: "If FIFA decide to ban the
Portuguese FA and its clubs then that will obviously have an impact
on our competition.
"But it is only at that point we would have a look to see what else
UEFA could do.
"For instance, as one of the options, we would have to decide
whether or not to play the group with just three teams."
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