BREAKING – Man Utd face possible ban from Champions League after Sir Jim Ratcliffe takeover

INEOS leader Sir Jim Ratcliffe is nearing the acquisition of a 25% stake in Manchester United, marking the Red Devils as the latest addition to his conglomerate’s portfolio, which already includes the successful French side Nice.

However, this move could potentially lead to consequences for Manchester United’s European aspirations in the upcoming season due to the current multi-club ownership regulations set by UEFA.

The £1.3 billion deal between Ratcliffe’s company, INEOS, and the Glazers is on the brink of completion, initiating what they envision as a phased takeover.

Notably, INEOS already owns the French club Nice, creating a complication for Manchester United’s potential participation in the Champions League.

As per UEFA’s existing rules on “multi-club ownership,” both United and Nice could only compete in Europe next season if one qualifies automatically for the expanded Champions League group stage, and the other directly enters the Conference League.

Article 5.02 of UEFA’s regulations explicitly states that teams controlled by the same entity must be prevented from facing each other in the same competition.

A UEFA source, as reported by the Sun, emphasized the clarity of the situation. If both clubs secure Champions League places in their respective leagues, the higher finisher will be granted qualification, while the other faces a European ban. In the event of a tie in positions, United would receive preference due to England’s ranking atop UEFA’s “access list.”

Earlier this year, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin hinted at potential revisions to the multi-club ownership rules during a conversation with former Manchester United captain Gary Neville on the Overlap.

He acknowledged the increasing interest in this ownership structure and indicated a need to review and possibly relax the regulations to accommodate the evolving landscape of football ownership.

“We are not thinking about Manchester United only,” Ceferin stated in March. “We’ve had five or six owners of clubs who want to buy another club.

We have to see what to do. The options are that it stays like that or that we allow them to play in the same competition.”