Man Utd face Europa League axe in just DAYS unless Sir Jim Ratcliffe makes urgent change
MANCHESTER UNITED face being axed from the Europa League due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe's stake in French side Nice.
Both teams have qualified for next season's competition after United beat Man City in the FA Cup final.
Nice secured their place by finishing fifth in Ligue 1.
But Uefa's ownership rules prevents clubs with the same "decisive influence" from competing together in the same competition.
Ratcliffe's group Ineos owns Nice outright after completing an £88.77million takeover in 2019.
While the company now has a 27.7 per cent stake in United after striking a £1.3billion deal with the Glazers.
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Ratcliffe and Ineos now have until Monday June 3 to satisfy Uefa that Nice and United can both compete in next season's Europa League.
An independent panel will make a ruling on whether the satisfactory criteria has been met.
But the worst case scenario would see United exiled to the Europa Conference League, as they did not reach the Europa League by way of their eighth-place Premier League finish.
Ratcliffe and Ineos will be hoping that their 27.7 per cent stake allows United to compete, as the Uefa threshold for violating ownership rules is 30 per cent.
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However, the British billionaire now has full control of all football operations at Old Trafford.
And Uefa will be wanting to know how much "decisive influence" comes from that control, having recently warned clubs “must prove that, as at June 3 2024, they comply with the rules aimed at ensuring the integrity of the competition, namely the multi-club ownership rule”.
Reports also claim Ineos plan to invest a further £245m for infrastructure works, which would take them above the 30 per cent threshold.
But Ineos are "confident" of complying with Uefa's rules though, saying: “We are aware of the position of both clubs and are in direct dialogue with Uefa.
“We are confident we have a route forward for next season in Europe.”
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