The Italian club, AC Milan, has been banned from taking part in the Europa League competition in the 2019/20 season. The decision comes as a consequence of a breach of Financial Fair Play rules. It’s a bitter blow for AC Milan, with the former Champions League winners struggling in recent years to regain their former glory.
Why is AC Milan not allowed to take part in the UEL ?
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has deemed that AC Milan has failed to meet Financial Fair Player requirements. Simply put, the Rossoneri have been unable to meet the break-even requirement in two successive seasons.
As a consequence, the club was initially ordered a two-year ban. Upon the club’s appeal, the suspension was reduced to a single season. The one season suspension comes at the end of lengthy negotiations between Milan, the CAS and UEFA’s governing body.
A matter of overspending
AC Milan is, without a doubt, one of the most famous and successful clubs in European football. However, the club’s performances in recent years have been well below par. A 2016 club takeover by Chinese owners led by businessman Li Yonghong, promised to add much-needed capital to Milan’s budget.
While the club hierarchy kept their promise of investing in transfers and wages, they may have failed to meet requirements regarding spending. It is understood that the club spent more than £200 million on transfers. Over the last three seasons, the club has incurred losses of more than £27million.
What does the future hold for AC Milan?
The club, a true football institution in Italy, is currently under the control of Elliott Management, an American hedge fund. The club’s previous owners, Sino-Europe Sports Investment Management, were forced to depart the club when they defaulted on a loan in 2018.
While some improvements have been made over the last three seasons, AC Milan has failed to challenge for important silverware either in Serie A or internationally. Now that the club has been banned from international football for this campaign, AS Roma is set to take their place, while Torino will earn a qualifying spot.
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Eduard Bănulescu
