RB Leipzig set to miss out on Champions League due to UEFA ruling

[ian1964 10,498]

Bundesliga side RB Leipzig is "likely to miss out on European football next season -- despite finishing second" in the league, according to SKY SPORTS. RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg, which won the Austrian Bundesliga title, are both owned by energy drinks company Red Bull.

 

UEFA rules "prohibit clubs with strong links to one another from playing in their competitions in the same season." The UEFA administration will make a final decision next month on "whether the two clubs can play in next season's Champions League." If the governing body rules only one Red Bull club can play, Salzburg will "get the nod" because it finished higher in its league.

 

It would also mean Leipzig would be "barred from playing in the Europa League as there is a chance Salzburg could drop into UEFA's secondary competition at the end of the group stages" (SKY SPORTS, 5/15).

 

In London, Adam Shergold reported Leipzig remains "confident" that it will be permitted to take its place and compete in the Champions League for the first time in its "short, but highly successful, history."

 

The issue for the German club is that it is "effectively part of a football franchise -- one of a number across the world founded and supported by the financial investment of Red Bull." Article Five of UEFA's Champions League rules and regulations states, "No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition."

 

However, it "appears that Salzburg's strong financial situation may come to the aid" of its "German sister club." The Article Five terms state that no investor may hold "decisive influence" over the running of a club. In financial terms, this "apparently translates" as being responsible for 30% or more of a club's total income. While Leipzig "splashed" £51M on new signings last summer, Salzburg "recorded a profit in the transfer market." Salzburg's financial strength means it is "less reliant on the Red Bull cash than Leipzig" and falls beneath this 30% threshold.

 

Leipzig is confident it "fulfilled all the necessary criteria and will hear the famous Champions League anthem" at its Red Bull Arena next season. Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said, "We have done our homework and we are set up according to the rules. Both clubs are completely free and independent when it comes to decision making." A "similar situation cropped up" in '04 when Chelsea and Russian side CSKA Moscow were drawn together in the Champions League.

 

Roman Abramovich was owner of Chelsea and also a leading shareholder in CSKA sponsor Sibneft. UEFA "looked into the links but took no further action and the two sides played one another"

 

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Global/Issues/2017/05/16/International-Football/RB-Leipzig.aspx

[Uilleam 5,560]

A couple of dozen Rolexes, vintage clarets, magnums of Krug, and 50 yr old Islay malts en route to Nyon already, I imagine.

[Scott7 5,352]

If they're going to these lengths you'd think they would send a decent dram.

[Rousseau 9,621]

I think UEFA have announced that both are allowed to play.

[Gribz 743]

I think UEFA have announced that both are allowed to play.

 

And rightly so for me. Its not one individual who owns the clubs plus they are from different associations so I wouldnt see much wrong with it anyway

[Uilleam 5,560]

If they're going to these lengths you'd think they would send a decent dram.

 

High Commissioner is not a "decent dram".

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Essentially they played a football version of musical chairs to prove that one is "soonsored" and the other "owned" by RB.

German clubs won't appeal after Uefa clear RB Leipzig and FC Salzburg for Champions League despite Red Bull link

 

Uefa came to the decision after 'several important governance and structural changes' had been made at both clubs.

 

The Independent Football

RB Leipzig finished second in the German Bundesliga last season Getty

Uefa have ruled to allow both RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg to play in the Champions League next season, opening the door to the prospect of the two partner clubs facing each other this season.

 

Both teams are funded by Red Bull and Uefa has detailed rules against two clubs with close ties playing in the same competition. But after a month-long investigation from Uefa, and serious behind-the-scenes changes at the two clubs, Uefa ruled they had done enough. RB Leipzig will play in the group stage, Red Bull Salzburg in the second qualifying round.

 

After RB Leipzig finished second in the German Bundesliga and Salzburg won the Austrian title, both teams submitted paperwork to Uefa to prove that they were not in breach of article 5 of the Champions League regulations, relating to ‘the integrity of the competition’.

 

hat rule is to stop teams under “common control” from playing in the same competition, meaning no individual or group can exert control over two teams. Uefa’s investigatory chamber initially thought that the two sides were too organisationally linked to be able to play against one another.

 

Over the course of this month Leipzig and Salzburg have proven to Uefa that they have untangled themselves from one another. What have been described as “significant and substantial changes” have seen individuals with influence at both clubs step down to focus on one or the other, rather than the two.

 

The adjudicatory chamber of Uefa’s Club Financial Control Body said that after “several important governance and structural changes” that they now accepted that “no individual or legal entity had anymore a decisive influence” over both clubs. That meant that both teams were now accepted into the next Champions League season.

 

The decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the next 10 days. Had Uefa found differently, and Leipzig been banned from the Champions League, then their automatic group stage place would have gone to 1899 Hoffenheim, whose Champions League play-off round place would have gone to FC Koln. But both clubs told The Independent they would not be appealing.

 

“We are absolutely fine with the decision”, said a Hoffenheim spokesman. “After our best season in Bundesliga history we are looking forward to the Champions League play-offs in August.”

 

“We won’t appeal this case, it is not our business” an FC Koln spokesman said. “We are very happy having qualified for the Europa League for the first time in 25 years.”

[Scott7 5,352]

High Commissioner is not a "decent dram".

 

High Commissioner is scarcely a dram at all.

[der Berliner 3,342]

Once it became a distinct possibility that RB Leipzig could get into the BL and reach the CL, they and Salzburg made very sure that any business and/or legal stuff that connects them would be cut in a way acceptable to UEFA. They as well as Red Bull are rather adapt with the rules and the law.

 

I for one have no problem here, not least when other big companies sponsor various teams, either directly or via bumper shirt sponsorship deals.

[Bearman 9]

If Celtic get drawn against one of them they'll find a way to get awarded a 3-0 win.