Man Utd face Champions League ban over Ratcliffe takeover
Robin Bairner
- 23 Nov 2023 11:12 GMT
- 3 min read
Manchester United have been threatened with a potential ban from European football ahead of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s minority takeover of the club.
Ratcliffe stands on the verge of completing a minority purchase of 25% of the Old Trafford side, with this expected to be made official in the next few days, although recent delays have frustrated the billionaire.
He will take command of the sporting side of the club but UEFA has threatened Man Utd with potential exclusion from the Champions League because of their new owner.
Ratcliffe also owns stakes in Swiss side Lausanne and Ligue 1 outfit Nice, and it is the latter that are posing the Red Devils a headache.
The Sun reports that under UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, the only way both Man Utd and Nice can play in Europe next season is if one qualifies automatically for the Champions League and the other goes directly into the Conference League.
If both finish in the Champions League spots, the team with the higher finish will take the place and the other will be banned.
Nice are presently going well under head coach Francesco Farioli and are second in Ligue 1 behind PSG, one of the few undefeated clubs in Europe’s Big 5 leagues. Moreover, they are well placed to secure a top-three finish with a third of the season played.
On the other hand, Man Utd lie sixth in the Premier League with little chance of reaching the top three after losing five of their opening 12 matches.
UEFA issues Man Utd warning
“As the rules stand, it’s a clear situation. Ineos own Nice and are set to have a significant role in running United,” a UEFA source is quoted as saying.
“Unless the regulations are changed, or Ineos sell one of their stakes, they cannot both play in European competitions, unless one is in the Champions League and the other in the Conference League.”
Ratcliffe’s first act as Man Utd owner, then, may be to have to try to negotiate a loophole.
