By Gareth Messenger
June 12 – Spanish Primera side Malaga are out of next season’s Europa League following The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejection of their appeal against the UEFA ban imposed last December.
Rayo were rejected a licence as the club had not agreed a time in which to pay creditors under Spain’s Ley Concursal, but club officials have confirmed they will also appeal to the CAS to get the decision overturned. If they do, then Rayo will play in next season’s competition. LFP president Javier Tebas is believed to have stepped in to help the club.
Last December, Malaga were issued with a two-season ban, one of which was suspended, from all European competition by UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) “due to the presence of significant overdue payable balances”. Last month, the suspended year was lifted after the club’s accounts were found to be in a better financial shape but UEFA kept the one-year punishment.
However, the decision by CAS means Malaga will not take their place in next season’s Europa League despite finishing sixth in the Primera Division. The Andalusian club released a statement on Tuesday revealing the club’s disappointment over the ruling.
“Malaga Club de Futbol cannot compete in the Europa League next season, despite having achieved qualification on the pitch, after having been informed today of the ruling by CAS, who confirmed the punishment imposed by UEFA,” the statement said.
“The Martiricos club, who are to receive the final argument of the denial of their appeal by CAS, maintains its posture of having fulfilled all the parameters asked for under ‘Fair Play’. Proof of that is that it cannot participate in European competition next season, despite having achieved a 2013-14 UEFA license.”
Malaga’s director general Vicente Casado has continued to put the blame on UEFA, claiming the club has been singled out, and that after putting all their financial affairs in order, he was confident CAS would overrule the decision. The club’s Qatari owner Abdullah Al-Thani has recently expressed his frustrations at UEFA on Twitter, particularly after Malaga’s Champions League Quarter-Final exit against Borussia Dortmund.
A CAS statement said: “CAS has dismissed the appeal filed by Malaga against the decision taken on December 21, 2012 by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body decision.
“As a consequence, the Spanish club is excluded from the UEFA Europa League 2013/14 and will have to pay a fine of €300,000.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734851193labto1734851193ofdlr1734851193owedi1734851193sni@r1734851193egnes1734851193sem.h1734851193terag1734851193. Gareth is Editor-in-Chief, www.laliganews.tv Follow Gareth on twitter: @G_Messenger