Inter and Roma are in trouble of running afoul of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations, which could lead to a potential ban from playing in European competition starting in 2014.
UEFA implemented its Financial Fair Play rules as a means to prevent clubs from spending more than they earn, with penalties ranging from fines and points reduction to being banned from European competition all together.
Approved by European football’s governing body in 2009, financial sheets of clubs would be monitored starting in the 2011-12 season and any penalties would be put into effect starting in 2014.
A study by Guerin Sportivo showed that the two Italian clubs most likely to be in trouble are Inter and Roma, whose balance sheets for the 2011-12 season posted losses of €76.9 million and €58.4m respectively.
AC Milan and Lazio, two other clubs that have been on shaky financial ground, still have time to improve their standing as Milan’s operating losses of €5m were mitigated by the sales of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic last summer.
Lazio meanwhile have turned a profit of €4.2m after owing as much as €140m in taxes to the Italian government in 2005, which they agreed to pay back in a 23-year installment program.
Inter president Massimo Moratti has spoken in the past about his efforts to keep his club in line with UEFA’s requirements, which has affected the Nerazzurri’s dealings in the transfer market.
