Sir Jim Ratcliffe has addressed fan concerns that Manchester United will not be able to play in the Champions League due to the British billionaire’s shares in Nice and UEFA’s rules on multi-club ownership.
Ratcliffe’s Ineos company now controls football operations at Old Trafford and have been majority owner of Nice since 2019. Nice have not qualified for the Champions League since the purchase but this season are on course to finish in the top three in Ligue 1 and secure at least a spot in the preliminary qualification rounds.
United are also looking to get back in the Champions League and currently sit five points off the top four, and three points off the top five which may be enough this summer for a group-stage spot. In the event of both clubs achieving their end-of-season aims, Ratcliffe does not anticipate any problems.
He said: “There are no circumstances upon which an ownership of Nice would prevent Manchester United from playing in the Champions League – I’ll be crystal clear on that. Because we would have to find a solution.
“The rules are changing, and the rules are shades of grey, not black and white. We have spoken to UEFA and I have to say the conversation wasn’t directed at ‘you have to solve this problem and we don’t like it’.
“We might have to change some things but what UEFA recognises is that the multi-club model, in many circumstances, benefits the smaller club quite a lot.”
Additional reporting by Press Association.
