UEFA will ban Sporting Lisbon from European competition for the next three seasons unless the Portuguese giants can prove they have made outstanding payments by January 31.
Real Betis, who are currently third in La Liga, will also be banned for the 2022-23 season unless they can prove their own debts have been settled.
Sporting have played in European competitions for the last eight consecutive seasons. They are still in this season’s Champions League, where they will play Manchester City in the last 16.
The decision comes as UEFA clamps down on Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Sporting and Betis each owe “overdue payables”, such as transfer fees to other clubs or salary required by their own players.
Both clubs, along with Santa Clara, another Portuguese side, were initially handed the punishment in December 2021.
Sporting’s appeal has now been rejected, while Betis’ appeal has only been partially accepted. The clubs have also been fined €250,000 and €150,000 respectively.
A UEFA statement announcing Sporting’s punishment read: “The CFCB Appeals Chamber decided:
- “To reject the appeal lodged by Sporting Clube de Portugal.
- “To confirm the club’s exclusion from the next UEFA club competition (UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League) for which it would otherwise qualify in the next three seasons (i.e. 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25), unless the club is able to prove by 31 January 2022 that it has paid the amount which was due no later than 15 January 2022 under a settlement agreement made on 26 November 2021 with another football club.
- “To confirm the fine imposed of €250,000 on the club.”
(Photo: Christopher Lee – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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