According to a new report, Manchester United could face the risk of being excluded from the Champions League next season if Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposed plan fails to materialise.
As of now, United occupies sixth place in the Premier League table, trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by five points with 13 games remaining.
While finishing fifth could still secure Champions League qualification through England’s 2023/24 UEFA coefficient ranking, this method is not yet guaranteed.
In recent weeks, another issue has emerged with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS poised to acquire a 25 per cent share in the club and take charge of footballing operations.
Despite the British billionaire making promising strides, such as appointing former Manchester City executive Omar Berrada as the club’s new chief executive officer, there remains a significant hurdle that may need to be addressed.
Nice, a Ligue 1 team that is now in third place in France’s top league and is vying for Champions League qualifying the following season, is currently majority owned by INEOS.
According to UEFA ownership rules, if both Nice and United qualify for the Champions League, only one of them can be registered to participate in the competition.
This would potentially affect United only if their finishing position is below that of Nice. However, if both clubs finish in the same position, United would qualify as England ranks highest on UEFA’s “access list.”
Reports from The Athletic suggest that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is aware of this potential issue, which has been on the radar since early negotiations with the Glazer family regarding INEOS’ acquisition of a stake in United.
The British billionaire’s group, according to the source, is ‘committed to meeting down with UEFA to find a solution’ that works for both clubs and the organisation that oversees football.
