Man United, Barcelona to face UEFA wrath over FFP Breach

UEFA has confirmed that Manchester United and Barcelona have been fined for failing to comply with their financial regulations.

The European governing body had been closely monitoring the financial dealings of several clubs between 2019 and 2022, with concerns raised regarding potential breaches of the rules.

After reviewing the submitted financial reports, UEFA has determined that both Manchester United and Barcelona fell marginally short of the requirements, resulting in minor fines being imposed.

Manchester United reported “minor break-even deficits,” leading to a €300,000 fine. This penalty is three times higher than those issued to Konyaspor and APOEL FC, clubs in similar situations from Turkey and Cyprus, respectively.

As for Barcelona, they have been fined €500,000 due to the misreporting of “profits on disposal of intangible assets (other than player transfers),” which are not considered relevant income under the regulations.

In addition to Manchester United and Barcelona, nine other clubs were under observation during the 2022/23 season, as UEFA set financial targets for them. French side Lille successfully met the criteria and has been removed from the watch list as a result.

AC Milan, Monaco, Roma, Besiktas, Inter, Marseille, and PSG have all reached their targets for the 2022 financial year. However, these clubs will continue to be monitored to ensure compliance in 2023.

Unfortunately, Istanbul Basaksehir from Turkey fell short of their targets and has been subjected to a €400,000 fine.

UEFA’s commitment to enforcing financial regulations aims to ensure financial stability and fair play within European football. The monitoring process and subsequent penalties demonstrate the organization’s dedication to maintaining the integrity of the sport and the financial sustainability of participating clubs.

While Manchester United and Barcelona have incurred fines for their minor breaches, the financial penalties serve as a reminder to all clubs to carefully adhere to UEFA’s financial regulations.

The governing body will continue to monitor and evaluate the financial activities of clubs to safeguard the long-term stability and competitiveness of European football.