UEFA excludes AC Milan from attending the next UEFA club competition

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The Adjudicatory Chamber of the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced on Wednesday that Italian football club AC Milan is banned from participating in the next UEFA club competition for breaching the break-even requirement of UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.

The ban will be effective for one of two future seasons, including the 2018-19 and 2019-20. AC Milan ranked No.6 in Serie A in the past 2017-18 season to qualify for the next UEFA Europa League, but thanks to the ban, the club will not be able to compete in the tournament.

UEFA made it clear in early June that punishment for AC Milan may be inevitable. /VCG Photo

In response, AC Milan filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. The club’s management said that they believe the court will listen to their opinion and will not comment on the case before an arbitration is made.

UEFA’s decision was no sudden attack because the governing body made it clear in early June that the balance sheets and future budget plans applied by AC Milan would not pass the examination and verification of CFCB, and punishment was inevitable. In the end, AC Milan received a fine of about 34.65 million US dollars and the exclusion from UEFA competition， according to La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

Li Yonghong, chairman and co-owner of AC Milan /VCG Photo

In 2017, AC Milan welcomed their new chairman and co-owner, Chinese businessman Li Yonghong, who began to invest hugely in the club to buy players. However, AC Milan failed to make remarkable breakthroughs in raising revenue and faced various problems including heavy debt and deficit, which was against the rules of Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.

Meanwhile, Chairman Li Yonghong’s financial background was not helping for being vague, according to Corriere dello Sport. UEFA did not approve AC Milan’s plan and promise for future budget and revenue raising and thus made the decision.

If the court turns down AC Milan’s appeal, the club will have to get ready for the heaviest punishment by UEFA since the launch of the financial fair play regulations.