Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposed buyout of 25% of Manchester United could potentially see the club kicked out of European competition next season, should they qualify.
The Sun report that due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, both of INEOS’ teams, Nice and United, could directly impact each other’s possibilities to play in Europe.
The newspaper claims that under UEFA’s rules, “the only way United and Nice can both play in Europe in the next campaign is if one seals an automatic Champions League spot and the other qualifies directly for the Conference League”.
The situation is complicated by the fact that both teams currently sit in European positions. As part of the new expanded Champions League format, that will be introduced next season, Ligue 1 will have three automatic qualifiers for the Champions League and one play-off place. The Premier League will also likely have five direct places.
This is problematic for United should a takeover happen, as Nice currently sit in second place in the standings and only 1 point behind PSG. The French side are also six points ahead of fifth place and hold the only unbeaten record in the league. The team from the south of France look more likely to challenge for the title than drop out of the Champions League places.
Contrast this to United’s current predicament, and qualification for even the Europa League is far from secure. The Mancunian side sit sixth, only seven points off the top but also a mere six points from 13th. It is hardly clear what will happen to the Red Devils this season. The campaign literally hangs in the balance.
There are numerous permutations for both clubs. If both finish in the Champions League spots in their respective divisions, the team that finishes higher of the two gets the place with the other banned from Europe. As things currently stand, Nice would get the nod and the Red Devils would only be allowed to play in domestic competitions next year.
This would be catastrophic for the club as they aim to buy top-class players in the future windows and it would also significantly hurt their ambition to break the £1 billion revenue barrier, which as The Peoples Person recently reported, is contingent on regular qualification and deep finishes in the Champions League.
Additionally if both teams finish in the same position, England’s ranking at the top of UEFA’s “access list” means Erik ten Hag’s sixth-placed Reds will get the nod for Europe’s premiere competition – worth up to £140million in TV and prize money – and Nice will have to be content with domestic football.
United could also be barred from European football if Nice qualify for Europa League by finishing fourth and losing the play-off, hence dropping into Europa League. Should United qualify directly for Europa League in the league or win the FA Cup, they would still be prohibited from playing in Europe’s second tier, as Nice would have finished higher in the league.
If this were to happen, the Old Trafford outfit’s only route to Europe would be finishing seventh and hoping that the Carabao Cup winners qualify for Europe, therefore, leaving the Conference League place for the Red Devils.
A UEFA source confirmed: “As the rules stand, it’s a clear situation. INEOS own Nice and are set to have a significant role in running United. 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.”
Additionally, Manchester City and Girona may be in the same unlikely boat. Both clubs are owned by the City Football Group and both sit top of their respective leagues at present. One would expect City to remain there or thereabouts, but if Girona can somehow win La Liga and an Arsenal or Liverpool can pip City to the league, there is the unlikely scenario of the Catalan club barring City from Europe.
Imagine a situation where Nice keep Manchester United out of Europe and Girona prohibit City from playing continental competition. Only in football.
