EUROPA League
UEFA excludes Italy’s Juventus from European competition next season
Juventus will not play in Europe next season after being banned over breaches of UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play rules, while Premier League side Chelsea will pay 10 million euros for submitting incomplete financial information, Europe’s soccer governing body said on Friday.
The UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) opened a formal investigation into Juventus in December, months after the Italian side was among eight clubs that reached a settlement with UEFA for failing to comply with break-even requirements.
In a statement on Friday, European soccer’s governing body said it would “impose an additional financial contribution of 20 million euros on the club.
“Of this amount, 10 million euros is conditional and will only be enforced if the club’s annual financial statements for the financial years 2023, 2024 and 2025 do not comply with the accounting requirements,” UEFA added.
Juventus, who qualified for the Conference League playoff round after finishing seventh in Serie A last term, said they had waived the right to appeal that decision but maintained their innocence.
“We do not share the interpretation that has been given of our defense, and we remain firmly convinced of the legitimacy of our actions and the validity of our arguments. However, we have decided not to appeal this judgment,” Juventus Chairman Gianluca Ferrero said.
Ferrero added that Juventus’ decision not to appeal was in line with the policy they employed during a settlement with Italy’s soccer federation (FIGC) in May, where they opted to pay a fine of 718,000 euros and not challenge a 10-point penalty.
“As in that case, we prefer to put an end to the period of uncertainty and ensure full visibility and certainty to our internal and external stakeholders about the club’s participation in future international competitions,” Ferrero said.
“Lodging an appeal, possibly to other levels of judgement, with uncertain outcomes and timing, would increase the uncertainty with respect to our eventual participation in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League.”
The Conference League qualifying rounds for the 2023-24 season started earlier this month.
CHELSEA SETTLEMENT
UEFA also reached a settlement with Chelsea over the submission of incomplete financial information, related to “historical transactions” between 2012-19 – prior to the London club’s acquisition by the Boehly-Clearlake consortium in 2022.
“Following the club’s sale in May 2022, the new ownership identified, and proactively reported to UEFA, instances of potentially incomplete financial reporting under the club’s previous ownership,” UEFA said.
“Following its assessment, including the applicable statute of limitations, the CFCB First Chamber entered into a settlement agreement with the club which has agreed to pay a financial contribution of 10 million euros to fully resolve the reported matters.”
Chelsea, who finished 12th in the Premier League following a chaotic campaign, will not be competing in Europe in 2023-24.
-Reuters
Four-times Europa League winner Unai Emery booked an astonishing sixth final in the competition as a manager on Thursday when his Aston Villa team swept aside Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their all-English semi-final.
The 54-year-old Spaniard has won three times with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016) and once with Villarreal (2021) – either side of a defeat with Arsenal (2019) – deservedly earning him the epithet “Mr Europa League” from some fans and media.
Now he goes to the 2026 final seeking a fifth title, this time with Aston Villa against Bundesliga side Freiburg.
“His track record speaks for itself,” said Villa striker Ollie Watkins, heaping praise on his boss as the man to guarantee Europa League success. “We need to go and win it now.”
Emery was delighted with how his team overturned a 1-0 deficit to Forest in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final to score four times at home and win 4-1 on aggregate.
“Now we have to look to the final,” he said, hoping that Villa will do “something fantastic” for their fans.
Though thrilled at Thursday’s win, Emery left the pitch quickly after the final whistle, pumping his fist a few times at the crowd before letting his players enjoy the moment with fans
He and his Villa side will be favourites at the Europa League final in Istanbul on May 20, but Emery was taking nothing for granted. “Of course German teams are so difficult, their coaches, their players are so good,” he added of the upcoming opponents.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
List of teams which have qualified for the next round of the Europa League after the league phase concluded on Thursday, ranked by table position:
Directly to the round of 16:
1. Olympique Lyonnais (France)
2. Aston Villa (England)
3. Midtjylland (Denmark)
4. Real Betis (Spain)
5. Porto (Portugal)
6. Braga (Portugal)
7. Freiburg (Germany)
8. AS Roma (Italy)
Knockout phase play-off places (seeded)
9. Genk (Belgium)
10. Bologna (Italy)
11. VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
12. Ferencvaros (Hungary)
13. Nottingham Forest (England)
14. Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)
15. Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)
16. Celta Vigo (Spain)
Knockout phase play-off places (unseeded)
17. PAOK (Greece)
18. Lille (France)
19. Fenerbahce (Turkey)
20. Panathinaikos (Greece)
21. Celtic (Scotland)
22. Ludogorets (Bulgaria)
23. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
24. SK Brann (Norway)
-Reuters
UEFA Europa League – Aston Villa v RB Salzburg – Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain – January 29, 2026 Aston
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not accept any away fan tickets for their Europa League match at Aston Villa next month, even if local authorities reverse the decision to ban their supporters, they said on Monday.
The ban followed safety concerns raised by British Police, who cited potential protests outside Villa Park, following demonstrations at Israel’s recent World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine.
“From hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context,” Maccabi said in a statement.
“We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”
Aston Villa announced the decision last week, saying they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park.
West Midlands Police described the match as high risk, past incidents, including violent confrontations and hate crime offences involving Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters ahead of a November 2024 game in Amsterdam.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the announcement as “shameful”.
Villa are third in the Europa League standings while Maccabi Tel Aviv are 30th after two rounds.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Türkiye Face Paraguay Test as South Americans Chase European Breakthrough
USA Chase Historic Winning Streak as Australia Bring Defensive Resolve
‘Most Oppressed Team’: Iran Set for FIFA Showdown Over Travel Rules
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup8 hours ago
‘Most Oppressed Team’: Iran Set for FIFA Showdown Over Travel Rules
- World Cup4 days ago
Back in Canada After 39 Years: A Return to Where the Journey Began
- World Cup4 days ago
Doku Faces World Cup-or-Fatherhood Dilemma as Belgium Star Awaits First Child
- World Cup6 days ago
Atlas Lions Roar Again: Morocco Hold Five-Time Champions, Brazil In Another World Cup Statement
- World Cup4 days ago
Tunisia Become Second African Casualty as Sweden Hit Five in World Cup Rout
- World Cup4 days ago
Salah Eyes Birthday Gift as Egypt Seek Historic World Cup Breakthrough Against Belgium
- World Cup6 days ago
Ghana Protests Canada’s Visa Denial to Thomas Partey Ahead of World Cup Clash
- World Cup1 week ago
World Cup, America’s 250th Independence Anniversary Set Stage for Historic Summer