What Manchester United need to prove this week to avoid a Europa League ban

Manchester United are heading for next season’s Europa League after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The Reds were underwhelmed for the competition at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon, but goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo secured a 2-1 win. United finished eighth in the Premier League, but by virtue of winning the domestic cup competition, joined Tottenham Hotspur in the following season’s European competition.

However, one issue that needs to be resolved is that of owning multiple clubs. UEFA rules state that one entity cannot own two teams that have qualified for European competition.

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The only time rules that allow two clubs owned by the same person/business to compete in Europe is when one qualifies for the Champions League and the other enters the Europa Conference League because they wouldn’t face each other. However, United have a real opportunity to face Nice, which is also owned by INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, after the French club qualified for the Europa League.

Fortunately, there is a loophole and MEN Sports took a look at what Ratcliffe must do to avoid one of his clubs being kicked out of Europe.

Currently, the current top-ranked team in that league would be allowed into the Europa League, with the other banned. This would mean United face the ban as Nice finished the season in fifth place.

But if Ratcliffe can prove to UEFA before June 3 that there is enough separation between United and Nice that they are separate clubs, both teams will be allowed to compete in the Europa League. The Manchester Evening News reported in March that INEOS was confident the ban would not be imposed on United.

And that remains, with INEOS saying it is “convinced” it has a solution. INEOS issued a statement on Monday which said: “We are aware of the position of the two clubs and are in direct dialogue with UEFA. We are convinced that we have a solution for next season in Europe.”

Since their minority stake was confirmed earlier this year, Ratcliffe’s representatives have held talks with UEFA about the eventuality and United are believed to be encouraged by the results. The Reds would not be the first team to avoid a European ban under these conditions.

Aston Villa and Portuguese club Vitoria were allowed into Europe last season despite sharing the same owners. So did Brighton and Hove Albion and Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise. One of those occasions where partner clubs have been prevented from exchanging player sales or loans before the end of the summer transfer window – which could scupper United’s hopes of signing the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo or Kepheren Thuaram, who they have both been linked with the club recently. months.

Announcing its decision, UEFA said in a statement: “The clubs will not enter into any cooperation, technical or joint commercial agreements. Clubs will not use any player database or joint research.”