As AC Milan prepare to learn their European fate for next season ahead of Thursday’s verdict, a sports lawyer has claimed that they have reason to believe in a positive outcome.
On Thursday, the Rossoneri will find out the outcome of their Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal against UEFA’s ban on them competing in next season’s Europa League competition as a result of their Financial Fair Play mis-steps.
However, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, president of the Italian association of sports lawyers Salvatore Civale, who specialises in sports law, economics and international arbitration, believes that they can hold out hope of still competing in Europe next season.
“The recent public statement [by Elliott group] guarantees continuity for Milan but new evidence is needed to convince the Court of Arbitration for Sport and UEFA that the punishment is excessive,” he said.
“There is a favourable precedent in such a case, like Partizan Belgrade last year who were excluded at first from the cups for previous debts before the Court found an agreement with UEFA to suspend and reformulate the sanction.
“With the CAS, there is hope and Milan have also been punished for their first and only violation without any previous penalty so in a sense, they can also complain that they have been treated worse than others.”
