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7 months ago
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There has been lots of uncertainty surrounding Manchester United’s participation in European competition next season, and we’re not just talking about the race for top four either.
It has been placed in jeopardy as a result of UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.
United’s new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group are majority stakeholders in OGC Nice.
The current regulations in UEFA competitions state the highest-ranked side would be given priority and, with Nice currently fifth and United sixth, it would make the French side go into the Europa League while United drop into the Conference League.
According to the Manchester Evening News, United are confident they will be allowed to compete in European competition next season despite a potential conflict of interest over Ineos’s multi-club model.
To be allowed to compete in the same European competition, Ineos would need to prove to UEFA that there is enough detachment between the two clubs. They will have until June 3 to show UEFA that is the case.
The report also states that United are encouraged by the talks Ratcliffe has had with UEFA since his deal was agreed.
Samuel Luckhurst reports: “If both teams qualify for the same competition then UEFA are likely to open proceedings against them, with the case referred to the CFCB, but there is a reluctance to kick clubs out of Europe, which is why they have worked with those involved in previous cases to find a solution. They are likely to lay down a series of conditions that Ineos must meet concerning the running of United and Nice.”
Hopefully, it’s a simple matter of United qualifying for the Champions League and Nice finishing in a Europa League spot.
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