By Gareth Messenger
June 5 – Malaga director general Vicente Casado is confident that the club did enough to convince the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that UEFA must overturn their ban from European competition next season.
The Andalusian delegation, which included executive vice-president Moayad Shatat, travelled to Switzerland for the hearing on Tuesday.
UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) banned the La Liga outfit for two seasons due to unpaid debts, with one year of that ban suspended. Despite the suspended year being lifted in May after more recent checks on the clubs official accounts, the one year ban remains in place meaning Malaga will not be able to compete in next season’s Europa League even after finishing sixth at the end of the 2012/2013 season.
The club have maintained throughout that they have been ‘victimised’ by UEFA and even Qatari owner Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani was critical of the governing body when Malaga were knocked out of the Champions League against finalists Borussia Dortmund, tweeting that UEFA were “racist” towards Malaga.
Malaga now believe they have their financial affairs in order and Casado told AS on his departure from the hearing that he was confident CAS would rule in favour of the club.
“It has been a very hard process but the club are satisfied,” he said. “We consider that we were able to demonstrate our fulfilment of the regulations.”
Should CAS uphold the ban, then Malaga would have no path into Europe next season. Rayo Vallecano are next in line having finished seventh in the Premiera, but they were denied a UEFA licence by the Spanish FA last week so ninth placed Sevilla would then take up the Europa League spot. However, Rayo are another club who intend to take a case to CAS if the panel at the Spanish FA decide to stick with their decision.
The decision on whether Malaga can play in Europe may take up to a fortnight.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734802967labto1734802967ofdlr1734802967owedi1734802967sni@r1734802967egnes1734802967sem.h1734802967terag1734802967. Gareth is Editor-in-Chief, www.laliganews.tv @G_Messenger