Football
Man Utd discover Europa League fate after UEFA threaten relegation
Manchester United had been left concerned they could be relegated to the Europa Conference League after Nice, who Sir Jim Ratcliffe also owns, qualified for the Europa League
Manchester United will be allowed to play in the Europa League after UEFA came to a decision on their future in the competition.
Though they finished eighth in the Premier League, Erik ten Hag’s side won the FA Cup. That win earned them automatic qualification to Europe’s second-tier competition for next season.
But there had been some doubt that they would be allowed to play in the competition after Nice also qualified. The French side are also owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe through his INEOS chemical company.
They finished fifth in Ligue 1 in the season just gone and UEFA rules state that clubs owned by the same company are not allowed to play in the same European competition. Normally, the team that finished lower in their respective league would be relegated to the Europa Conference League, in this case United.
But according to The Times, both United and Nice will be allowed to play in the Europa league next term. UEFA’s Club Financial Control Board is due to issue a ruling on multi-club ownership issues on Monday.
It is expected that the CFCB will give their approval to United playing alongside Nice, subject to certain conditions. They will also be warned that the upcoming campaign will be viewed as a transitional one and this leeway will not be given in future years.
The CFCB is also set to rule that Nice should be operated via a ‘blind trust’ by a panel approved by UEFA. It is a model that was used by AC Milan and Toulouse this season, with both clubs being owned by Red Bird Capital.
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It is reported that a UEFA document on multi-club ownership says a blind trust would be a ‘temporary alternative… granted on an exceptional basis for the 2024-25 Uefa competitions’. It also states that UEFA’s multi-club ownership rule may be changed for future seasons.
INEOS only own 27.7 percent of United, but Ratcliffe has been handed control of the club’s football and business operations by majority owners the Glazer family. The British billionaire previously bought Nice in 2019.
Ratcliffe also owns Swiss Super League side Lausanne-Sport, though they have not qualified for a European competition for next year. The ruling around multi-club ownership also affects Manchester City.
They qualified for the Champions League after winning the Premier League title this term. But their owners City Football Group are also in control of La Liga side Girona, who will play in Europe’s top tier next term.
City and Girona will also be allowed to keep their places in the competitions they originally qualified for. The CFCB is said to have scrutinised the CFG links because of the clubs’ transfer dealings this season, though have cleared both teams to play.
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