Financial Fair Play Shows Its Teeth

Credit: Latest Sports Alerts

By Zach Ricchiuti

UEFA's Financial Fair Play ruling is on full display at Milan. Can they be saved?

Last week, UEFA brought down for the first time the heavy hammer that is its Financial Fair Play ruling. The FFP sanctions hit 23 clubs across Europe’s Champions League and smaller Europa League, bringing some long overdue financial restraint to professional soccer on the continent.

Among the notable clubs penalized was Malaga F.C., the tiny Spanish side that so graciously donated star Santi Cazorla to Arsenal last year precisely to avoid tripping the FFP regulations. Europa League champions Atletico Madrid also found itself under pressure after violating stipulations that clubs not have “important” overdue payments to other teams, their own employees, or tax authorities. Atletico Madrid still owes F.C. Porto a good deal of money for Columbian striker Radamel Falcao, who was instrumental in their run to the championship.

Judging by the spending of many top clubs this year, it’s easy to assume that European soccer is immune to global economic recessions and the like. But in fact, much of the spot has been hit hard. England’s Portsmouth, an FA cup winner a few season ago, is now mired in debt from unpaid wages and transfer fees. Rangers, which make up half of the Scottish Premier League’s two-horse race, fell victim to a lengthy spell of tax fraud that once inflated its debt to $217 million. The club has since fallen to Scotland’s third division.

But where perhaps FFP has had the most noticeable impact is at San Siro, where one of Italy’s greatest teams now look a shadow of their former self. AC Milan recently finished gutting an aging, expensive roster in desperate need of rejuvenation. Signing big money players like Ibrahimovic brought the club a league title, but it was at the cost of major turnover that will now be far more painful in the coming years. This summer alone, AC Milan dumped (deep breath), Antonio Cassano, Taye Taiwo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Alessandro Nesta, Mark Van Bommel, Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso and Massimo Oddo, as well as loanees Alberto Aquilani and Maxi Lopez. That’s 11 players who could have all seen significant minutes, if not started.

Those moves will do wonders for Milan’s balance sheet. Just taking away Ibrahimovic’s wages frees up an extra $15 million a year. But it comes at a steep on-field price. The club’s starting lineup last weekend against Atalanta was, simply put, one of the weakest and most technically deficient teams Milan has put out in decades.

The Ibrahimovic sale has been critical to the bottom line
of AC Milan but can they fill the void on the field? 

The defense in front of keeper and holdover Abbiati is inexperienced and average, dragged down by Bonera’s dreadful play and Abate’s lack of technique. In the midfield, Kevin-Prince Boateng is still class. Sometimes I lay in bed in my underwear rewatching that wonder goal he scored against Barelona where he did that thing with his feet, and then that thing with the ball, and then that thing with the shot, and I honestly still have no idea what the hell he did. But his is painfully deprived of any decent players to combine with. And it takes a duo to succeed at this level. Granted, Robinho is currently injured. But if that emaciated, diving Brazilian is AC Milan’s saving grace, I’ll eat my hat.

So where do Milan go from here? Considering their budget, the best bet is to recruit an advanced robotics team to replace all of Alexander Pato’s major muscles and bones, reinforcing his frame and keeping him injury-free. They could use bungee cords to replace his hamstrings and Home Depot hinges to shore up his knee joints. Styrofoam for the cartilage, because they’re on a budget, of course.

In all seriousness though, Milan desperately need to get him back on the field. When Pato did play he scored an impressive nine goals in 18 league appearances. But injuries have prevented him from fulfilling his potential. Since Milan cannot afford to provide him with much help, it will be up to Pato to stay healthy and keep the club in contention.

And even with him, it’s unclear just how high the ceiling is. It needs to redefine its playing style and identity following the loss of Ibrahimovic, and is still thin up top after losing out on available strikers like Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin Van Persie and Klass-Jan Huntelaar.

Milan will certainly emerge from this period in a stronger financial position, but its struggles highlight how much FFP can impact Serie A. The league does not have the fan base to fill clubs’ massive stadium, and is not producing nearly enough talent to ship abroad in exchange for cash. Juventus are the only club that have managed to build a new stadium and stay competitive, while making money and spending it wisely. But even that came at a cost thanks to their 2006 match-fixing scandal.

I , for one, hope that Serie A takes heed of its problems and explores rebranding the league. Even in spite of the financial issues, it has a lot to offer. Some shrewd business moves, combined with the eventual resurgence of clubs like AC Milan, could generate a revival sooner than later. After all, it’s never a party until the Italians arrive.

Zach Ricchiuti is a contributor and resident European soccer expert for Began in '96