Source:
REUTERS/PHIL NOBLE
[Saba
Sports News] According to British media reports, it is soon to be announced
that Sir Ratcliffe, the richest man in Britain, will acquire a 25% stake in
Manchester United. This development brings both positive and negative
implications for the club. It is stated that Sir Ratcliffe’s consortium also
owns the French Ligue 1 team Nice, which currently maintains a competitive
position in the league standings and has hopes of participating in European
competitions next season. However, if Sir Ratcliffe also holds an ownership
stake in Manchester United and the team qualifies for the European competitions
next season, UEFA rules dictate that if both teams secure Champions League
spots in their respective divisions, the higher-ranked team will qualify while the
other will be banned. This rule aims to prevent teams under the same ownership
from competing against each other in the same tournament. The editor’s
perspective is that if such a scenario arises, Sir Ratcliffe could
strategically adjust the participation of each club, allowing one to compete in
the Europa League and the other in the Champions League to avoid any potential
awkward situations.