Several top European clubs including Barcelona, AC Milan and Juventus are under the scanner of the UEFA for various legal issues. If the clubs are found guilty of the respective allegations, they could be restricted from taking part in the UEFA competitions for a certain period of time, as ruled by the legal team UEFA.
Entry lists for UEFA competitions for the upcoming season are now available as the European club football season came to a close this past weekend with Manchester City's victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final. Juventus, Barcelona, and AC Milan are a few of the clubs awaiting investigations and court rulings that might determine which teams, if any, need to be banned from participating in European competition.
Juventus appears to be most at risk of receiving a minimum one-season suspension from UEFA tournaments. Toulouse and AC Milan share American ownership, and if UEFA regulations governing game integrity and conflicts of interest are strictly followed, the French Cup winner could be disqualified from the Europa League. There would be no impact on Milan's standing in the more competitive Champions League. Barcelona is being investigated for potential match-fixing in connection with improbable payments made over a period of years to a Spanish officiating official.
Juventus have already been docked 10 points in the Serie A after a false accounting allegation. This cost the Italian club to lose its spot in the prestigious Champions League, AC Milan got the spot instead. And Juventus were shifted to the UEFA Conference League which is quite inferior as compared to the UCL. Given that Juventus would only lose a Conference League spot, which is worth tens of millions of euros (dollars) less than Champions League prize money, a one-year suspension would not be the worst outcome.
If a match-fixing charge is made in the alleged "Caso Negreira" case, Barcelona may also face a suspension that lasts for a number of years. Since a UEFA rule went into force in 2007, any team suspected of rigging even one game is normally barred from the upcoming European campaign. Additionally, a disciplinary case that can result in additional penalties is launched. Due to charges of manipulation, Turkish team Fenerbahce was forced to sit out three seasons in 2011. The exclusion of one club allows others to join.
Hence, if Barcelona is eliminated, Villarreal of La Liga can advance from the Europa League to the Champions League. Athletic Bilbao, now in eighth position in Spain, would probably go up to the Conference League in a shakeup. The decisions by the court would be crucial not just for the accused clubs, but also for the other clubs located near the accused clubs as they can shift several places in the points tables of the respective leagues.
