The fourth phase of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play is about to get into full swing. Let’s find out together the situation of Italian clubs
If we talk about Financial Fair Play, the conversation often turns to the big European giants. But beware: the landscape is far from tranquil, and the shadows of UEFA’s regulations are stretching over clubs that seemed untouchable.
FPF, i Friedkin sono quelli che rischiano di più in Italia (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
Yet, for once, the Italians seem to be breathing. After years of eyeballs and sanctions that made fans and managers tremble, Serie A is now in a more solid position.
Let’s start with the good news. Teams like AC Milan and Napoli have learned to walk the tightrope of budgeting without losing their balance. The Rossoneri, after the Elliott era, have become an example of shrewd management: accounts in order, revenues growing and no fear of breaking UEFA stakes. The partenopei, on the other hand, despite having had to cope with a year out of the cups, have all the credentials to re-enter the European scene without a jolt.
Juventus, after recent turmoil, is trying to imitate the Milan model: the plan is ambitious, with the goal of a balanced budget by 2025. Then there is Inter Milan, which thanks to Oaktree’s support finally seems to have found stability. Further behind we find clubs like Lazio, Fiorentina and Atalanta, which show no signs of alarm. In short, if we talk about immediate dangers, Serie A seems safe. Or almost.
FPF: il caos Roma e le squadre che rischiano in Europa
The exception to the rule is Roma. The Friedkins are struggling against a three-headed monster: a monstrous debt of more than 600 million, an annual deficit of 81 million, and the strict rules of the settlement agreement. If the Giallorossi fail to bring the accounts back into balance by 2025, they could say goodbye to European competition for the 2026/27 season. A real risk, and a warning sign for those who think Financial Fair Play is just a formality.
La Roma di Claudio Ranieri fa i conti anche col Fair Play Finanziario (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
What about outside Italy? The picture changes dramatically. In Germany, Bundesliga clubs continue to be the model to follow: strong balance sheets and no risk on the horizon. But in France and England, the music is different. PSG has scaled back spending after the Neymar-Mbappé-Messi era, but Lyon is taking a big risk: with a debt exceeding 500 million, the French DNCG has even asked for relegation to Ligue 2. An unthinkable scenario until a few years ago.
Then there is England, where Chelsea and Aston Villa are already under UEFA’s radar for crazy spending, and Manchester City finds itself embroiled in more than 130 alleged breaches of financial regulations. And let’s not forget Manchester United, which without Champions League would see revenues plummet dramatically, paving the way for troubling scenarios.
Financial Fair Play is evolving, and its rules are becoming increasingly stringent. The Italians seem to have learned their lesson, but the real test will be to maintain this stability over the long term. And as the house of cards in Europe begins to shake, one question remains open: how much longer can the big clubs withstand the financial pressures without compromising their competitiveness?
This article Financial Fair Play, some teams risk big: Italian teams’ situation appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
