Man United Could Be Banned From Champions League Even if They Win Europa League

• UEFA rules may ban Manchester United from the Champions League due to shared ownership with OGC Nice via Ineos Group
• Even if United win the Europa League final, they could still be denied entry into the 2025/26 Champions League
• Chelsea and French club Strasbourg, both owned by BlueCo, could also face UEFA scrutiny if both qualify

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Manchester United are nearing another shot at European success as they get ready to take on Tottenham Hotspur in the 2025 UEFA Europa League final, set for May 21 at San Mamés Stadium.

A win would represent a significant achievement for the Red Devils and lead them to a direct spot in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.

Can Manchester United qualify for the Champions League?

Considering their poor Premier League campaign, sitting 16th in the EPL standings after 36 games, United cannot qualify for the Champions League via the league route.

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Ruben Amorim's side were defeated 2-0 at home by Mohammed Kudus' West Ham United last time out to add to their domestic woes.

Nevertheless, the Red Devils can make it to the next Champions League if they win the 2025 Europa League final in Bilbao, but there are growing concerns about this prospect.

Why Man United can be barred from Champions League explained

Even if they clinch the Sam Mames final, UEFA's rules on multi-club ownership which are designed to protect the integrity and fairness of European competitions, may sideline from the Champions League.

The regulations clearly state:

"To ensure the integrity of the UEFA club competitions, no club participating in a UEFA club competition may, either directly or indirectly, hold or deal in the securities or shares of any other club participating in a UEFA club competition."

Put simply, one owner or controlling party is not allowed to have authority over multiple clubs competing in the same European tournament.

The purpose of this regulation is to prevent any possible conflicts of interest, favoritism, or unfair competition among teams linked by common ownership.

Ineos Ownership of Manchester United and OGC Nice

The controversy surrounding Manchester United’s Champions League eligibility stems from their partial ownership by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group.

Ratcliffe and Ineos are also the majority owners of French side OGC Nice, who have had an impressive season and are currently set to qualify for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League through Ligue 1 standings.

This scenario presents a direct challenge to UEFA’s multi-club ownership regulations.

If both Manchester United and OGC Nice secure qualification for the Champions League, UEFA will be forced to trigger Article 5.02 of its multi-club ownership rules to decide which club is eligible to participate.

According to current rules, both cannot compete if owned or decisively influenced by the same entity.

Can Nice qualify for the Champions League ahead of Man United?

If UEFA act on the aforementioned article, preference would likely be given to the club that qualifies on sporting merit via its domestic league.

In this instance, OGC Nice could hold the upper hand if they finish in Ligue 1’s top positions, while Manchester United’s only route to the Champions League might be through the Europa League.

This would mean that even if United lift the Europa League trophy, they could be denied entry into the Champions League if Nice also qualify, and vice versa.

Chelsea, Strasbourg face similar Champions League challenges

Enzo Maresca's Chelsea also face the same potential trouble. Their parent company, BlueCo, also owns French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.

If Chelsea and Strasbourg both earn spots in the same European tournament, UEFA's regulations on multi-club ownership may be triggered once more.

This scenario is becoming more frequent in today’s football landscape, where multi-club ownership and expansive investment groups are gaining popularity.

Although these models can support player development and offer strategic advantages, they also raise complex legal and ethical issues for organizations like UEFA to manage.

Mohammed Kudusm offers assist against Manchester United

YEN.com.gh earlier reported Mohammed Kudus' top performance for West Ham United in their 2-0 away win at Manchester United, providing a brilliat assist for Tomas Soucek to open the scoring.

Soucek was at the right place at the right time to connect home a wonderful delivery by the Ghanaian playmaker who recently emphasised his loyalty to the Premier League outfit.

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Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh