UEFA to ease FFP regulations

UEFA president Michel Platini has suggested that European football’s governing body is going to ease the rules surrounding Financial Fair Play (FFP).

The regulations were put in place in order to stop clubs from spending beyond their means, with fines being imposed for anyone found to be in breach.

Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter have all been sanctioned in the past 12 months, but Platini said on Monday that the rules could be relaxed in the future.

“The world is two-faced but we will say this openly: I think we’ll ease things, but it will be the executive committee who will decide if it is to be eased or something like that, and the outcome will be known by the end of June,” he told RTL.

“I think the regulations have been very good and it is the clubs who voted for FFP.

“But the French press say it is not right that [Chelsea owner Roman] Abramovich can buy many players and in France they cannot buy them.

“But if the Qataris had bought AC Milan the French would also say we should make financial fair play even tougher. As it is, the Italians wanted it eased.”

It is thought that UEFA will allow greater owner investment, which it hopes will quash a number of legal challenges that the body is faced with.

“We welcome the announcement of a change in the rules in line with the demands expressed by our clients in their various legal actions,” said Jean-Louis Dupont, the lawyer heading the legal proceedings against UEFA.

“When the exact content and scope of these changes are known, we will consider with our clients how this development, which on first sight appears favourable, is likely to meet their legitimate expectations and influence the conduct of ongoing actions.”