Ratcliffe plots major change to secure Man Utd's Champions League spot

Robin Bairner

• 21 Feb 2024 11:58 GMT
• 3 min read

Sir Jim Ratcliffe could instigate a change of management if Manchester United qualify for the Champions League, but thankfully for Erik ten Hag, he is not in the firing line.

Ratcliffe’s decision to take over at Man Utd is expected to prompt a revolution at the club, but according to The Telegraph, it also promises to have an impact elsewhere.

Ineos has bought a 28.9% share in Man Utd, which has raised concerns over conflict of interest with Ligue 1 side Nice, where the company is also the majority shareholder.

Indeed, Man Utd could technically miss out on the Champions League if both they and their French sister club qualify for the competition. If United reached the competition by finishing in a lower league position, UEFA rules stipulate that it would be Nice, currently third in Ligue 1, who would be awarded the spot.

Ratcliffe is seeking to head this possibility off. Although he will not sell Ineos’ shares in Nice, the plan is to relinquish management of the club, thereby allowing both teams to compete at Europe’s top table.

The Telegraph states: “Ratcliffe is expected to hold talks with UEFA before the end of the season to fully establish what flexibility exists, not least as Aleksander Ceferin, the European governing body’s president, has stated publicly that the regulations require greater clarity.”

It adds that Ineos plan to structure Nice as a “stade-alone” entity.

Moves to this effect have already started, with Sir Dave Brailsford taking a reduced role at the club as he increases his focus on Manchester United.

What has Ceferin said about multi-club ownership?

Ceferin has previous addressed the issue of multi-club models in an interview with the Telegraph.

He said: “You know football. A big English club can lose 3-0 to a small Portuguese club, if you want, because they have a bad day.

“Imagine that it’s the same ownership? You would say, ‘Look, your competition is fixed’, and then you start losing everything.

“This is my biggest problem where I don’t have a solution. We could always say, ‘Okay, you can do it under these and these and these conditions.’ But full control of two or more is a no-go.

“That’s, for now, my opinion. We have’t come to a concrete solution.”