Financial Fair Play (FFP) is a rule that UEFA implements on all the clubs of Europe. It was designed to keep the game fair between rich clubs and poorer ones.
This rule is complicated, though the basic idea is that no club can spend more than it earns. Many can tell that some teams obviously earn more than they spend, this opinion could be confirmed.
Did UEFA Help PSG & Manchester City Smother Financial Fair Play Breach?
Football Leaks claims that UEFA helped Manchester City and PSG to cover up their breaches of Financial Fair Play. They claim that an investigation of more than 70 million documents was analyzed over eight months by 80 journalists from members of European Investigative Collaborations (EIC).
Apparently, the results have shown that both clubs have breached FFP laws but aren’t being punished.
Man City and PSG are known for their wealthy owners coming from the Gulf area. Both clubs have been very successful in recent years, with their finances playing a key role in the rising of these clubs.
In the past, UEFA used this rule on a few clubs. AC Milan were banned from the Europa League (the ban was later overturned) and Rubin Kazan were suspended from any European competition. This shows that the association takes action against clubs, but why aren’t they doing anything in this case?
Big Club Favouritism?
Last transfer window, PSG has spent €177 million on new players, while making €107 million from selling members of the squad. These stats do not include the massive wages the French champions pay to their players.
Some suggest the Parisiens make money from sponsorships. PSG have big money sponsorship deals, though not much is made when it comes to television rights. It could be confirmed that this club is breaching the rules.
In England, Manchester City are the dominant force in the league. Spending €71.19 million in the summer, while only earning €28.1 million in exchange. The club has been obviously breaching the rules. The club is known to spend big every summer, while only selling a few players.
The reason UEFA isn’t taking action is clear. Both teams are champions in their domestic league and are considered one of the best in the world. Banning them from the Champions League can cause a loss in viewership and interest in the competition. They want to keep the huge clubs to keep the excitement.
No matter what the team, action should be taken when rules are broken. There is still no confirmation if the accusations are correct, if they are, UEFA will lose most of their credibility and might never get it back.
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