When Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s takeover is confirmed, Manchester United will be barred from the Champions League.
Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe is almost certain to own a share in the team, Manchester United might be subject to the awkward situation of being disqualified from the Champions League.
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Because of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial acquisition of the team, Manchester United may not be allowed to participate in the Champions League the following season.
Ratcliffe’s long-standing desire to own a piece of United appears to be about to be dashed, as the billionaire from Ineos is expected to acquire 25% of the team. Ratcliffe’s ownership of Nice, a French team that is vying with Paris Saint-Germain for the Ligue 1 championship, will cause some problems for the £1.3 billion purchase.
Nice has a good chance of participating in Europe’s premier club competition next season, since France is expected to receive three automatic spots and a play-off slot for the Champions League. United will hope to remain in the mix despite their dismal start to the season, as the Premier League is expected to be awarded five spots for the newly designed 36-team competition.
However, neither team would be allowed to participate in the Champions League due to Uefa’s regulations regarding multi-club ownership. According to The Sun, they would actually only be permitted to play in Europe if one of them earns a spot in the Champions League straight away and the other one gets into the Uefa Conference League.
Should both teams place themselves in their respective leagues’ Champions League spots, the club with the highest finish will advance, while the other team will be eliminated. Given its current state, that should be Nice. Because England is ranked first on FIFA’s “access list,” United would receive a vote if both teams finish in the same spot.
