Sports

UEFA clears Manchester City, United, Girona, Nice to participate in UCL, Europa

Published

2 months ago

July 6, 2024

Admin

UEFA on Friday said Manchester City and Girona can both enter the Champions League and Manchester United and Nice can play in the Europa League after addressing multi-club ownership concerns.

Premier League champions City and Girona are both part of the City Group, while Jim Ratcliffe who owns 25 percent of FA Cup winners United also controls Nice through his Ineos company.

UEFA said it had accepted the admission of the four clubs into next season’s European competitions, after previously opening proceedings into them for potential conflict with its ownership rules, “following the implementation of significant changes by the concerned investors in Girona FC and OGC Nice”.

READ ALSO: Real Madrid Punish Wasteful Dortmund To Claim 15th Champions League Crown

“The clubs were able to demonstrate that such changes brought them into compliance with the multi-club ownership rule,” UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) said in a statement.

“No one is simultaneously involved, directly or indirectly, in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.

“No one has control or decisive influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.

“The significant changes made to the ownership, governance, and financial support of the concerned clubs, substantially restrict the investors’ influence and decision-making power over more than one club.”

It said City Group, which owned a 47 percent stake in Girona, and Ineos had transferred their shares to “independent trustees through a blind trust structure established under the supervision of the CFCB First Chamber” until July 2025.

UEFA said that the clubs had also promised not to make any new player transfers to each other, either permanently or on loan, until September 2025 and would not cooperate commercially or on coaching or scouting.

When the stakes are returned next July, the clubs will again need to take steps to satisfy UEFA rules.

Last year, UEFA investigated three cases involving Toulouse and AC Milan, English club Aston Villa and Portuguese club Vitoria Guimaraes, and Premier League Brighton and Union Royale Saint-Gilloise of Belgium.

AFP

Sports

Cristiano Ronaldo Diagnosed Down With Viral Infection-Club

Published

2 days ago

September 17, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

Al Nassr struggled in Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence on Monday, when the Saudi club kicked off the revamped Asian Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Al Shorta in Iraq.

Al Nassr captain Ronaldo did not travel with the squad for the match in Baghdad, with the club issuing a statement a day before stating that the Portuguese superstar had been diagnosed with a viral infection.

The statement read: “Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t feeling well today and was diagnosed with a viral infection.

“The team’s doctor confirmed he needs to rest and stay at his place.

“As a result, he will not be travelling with the team to Iraq today. We wish a speedy recovery to our captain.”

Al Nassr, who were knocked out of last season’s Asian Champions League in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Al Ain, were given a dream start in the Iraqi capital, when full-back Sultan Al Ghannam met Otavio’s astute, first-time pass on 14 minutes to finish low past Al Shorta goalkeeper Ahmed Basil

Ronaldo is yet to win a major trophy with Al-Nassr since joining the Saudi club.