According to sources reported by ESPN, Girona, a La Liga club, will have to wait for UEFA approval before participating in the Champions League next season, as their partner club Manchester City has also secured a spot in the 2024–25 competition.
Girona achieved qualification for the Champions League for the first time in their 94-year history after defeating Barcelona 4-2, securing their position in the top four of the league this season.
As one of the 13 teams under the ownership of the City Football Group (CFG), Girona’s qualification alongside Premier League team City has raised concerns regarding potential conflicts with Article 5 of UEFA Club Competitions regulations regarding multi-club ownership.
While CFG holds a 47 percent stake in Girona, American-Bolivian businessman Marcelo Claure, who heads Club Bolivar, another CFG team, owns the remaining 35 percent. Girona’s chairman is Pere Guardiola, brother of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Per UEFA regulations, if multiple teams from the same ownership group qualify for the same UEFA competition, the team with the highest domestic league placement will be eligible to participate.
In this case, Manchester City, with the highest club coefficient, would qualify over Girona if both teams finish in the same position.
Manchester City is poised to claim the CFG spot in the Champions League ahead of Girona, needing just two points to secure second place in the Premier League.
Girona will need to demonstrate their organizational independence from Manchester City at a UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) hearing this summer to gain approval to compete in the Champions League.
Despite reports suggesting that Girona may avoid being relegated to the Europa League to avoid facing Manchester City, similar situations with shared ownership have been approved by UEFA in the past.
For instance, the Red Bull Group owns both RB Leipzig and FC Salzburg, which have competed together in the Champions League previously.
Other clubs under shared ownership, such as Manchester United and Nice, controlled by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group, may also undergo CFCB hearings if they qualify for European competitions.
While Manchester United is currently outside the European qualification spots in the Premier League, they could still qualify through league placement or by winning the FA Cup Final against Manchester City. Nice holds a Europa League spot in fifth place in Ligue 1.
