Malaga have been banned from the Champions League and all other UEFA competitions for the next season they qualify in the next four years and will see another year’s ban if they do not prove they have no outstanding payments to clubs or players by March 31, 2013.
The cash-strapped Spanish side are one of nine clubs who have come under fire from UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) adjudicatory chamber and will be punished further if they do not make changes to the way they conduct business.
The CFCB’s meeting in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday Malaga given the harshest punishment which sees them fined €300,000 and banned for one season up until 2016-17. Another year’s ban is possible if they don’t provide evidence of change by March.
A statement from UEFA read:
“The club is excluded from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next four seasons (i.e. 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17).
“In addition, Málaga will be excluded from a subsequent UEFA competition for which it would otherwise qualify (in the next four seasons) if it does not prove, by 31 March 2013, that it has no overdue payables towards football clubs or towards employees and/or social/tax authorities, in accordance with the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.
“Málaga has also been fined €300,000. The prize money withheld on 11 September 2012 (as a conservatory measure) will be released.”
The ban does not effect their status in this season’s Champions League, where the club will face FC Porto in the last-16. However, they are on course to finish in the top four (and qualify for Europe) at the end of the season as they currently sit in fourth behind Real Madrid.
The ban does not effect their status in this season’s Champions League, where the club will face FC Porto in the last-16. However, they are on course to finish in the top four (and qualify for Europe) at the end of the season as they currently sit in fourth behind Real Madrid.
Malaga quickly reacted by releasing their own statement claiming that the decision was “disproportionate and unjustified” and the club would work “energetically and without rest to achieve justice”.
“Malaga Club de Futbol wishes to communicate its total disagreement with today’s UEFA decision,” said the club statement. “The measures taken against the club are absolutely disproportionate and unjustified given the club’s situation. We consider that the club is being punished unfairly and used as a ‘Turk’s head’ example to others.”
“Given the total and absolute indignation and consternation on the part of the club, Malaga CF wishes to state that it will work energetically and without rest to achieve justice, using all available necessary means. Malaga CF wishes to add that it does not understand, and considers totally incomprehensible and abusive, that after having received this judgement it must now wait an unknown period of time to know the evidence upon which it was taken.”
