The boat is rocking and the swell is expected to be even stronger in the weeks to come. While OM, in distress on the field, still have two days of the championship to honor to hope to secure a hypothetical European place from now on, UEFA could well sound the death knell for the continental ambitions of the Olympians.
Why such a threat? Because the Marseille club did not keep its commitment made in 2022, when a settlement agreement sealed with the clubs’ financial control committee allowed it to get away with a simple fine of 2 million euros – including 1.7 million suspended – on the condition of not exceeding a cumulative deficit of 60 million euros over the next three financial years.
However, OM have largely broken the ceiling, successively recording 12.7 million losses in 2022-2023, 39.1 million in 2023-2024 and up to 105 million in 2024-2025. That is to say a net liability of nearly 157 million euros over the past three years. A slate fortunately largely written off by the club’s American owner Frank McCourt but which does not allow the Phocaeans to escape the judgment of UEFA.
Verdict at the end of the month
According to L’Equipe, two possible scenarios are now emerging. Including a formidable one. “ With the threat, impossible to completely rule out, of exclusion from the club’s next participation in a European Cup. If he were to receive such a sanction, in the event that he does not qualify for a European event next season, the ban would be applied to OM as soon as he is able to return to the European scene. », specifies the sports daily.
The Marseillais of course are counting on the clemency of the continental body, pleading in particular the crack of TV rights to justify their financial errors. “ We tried to explain to the European regulatory authorities the media panorama in France, the lack of visibility. I hope UEFA understands this, this lack of TV rights which has an impact on our viability », whispered Frank McCourt last month on the sidelines of the presentation of the new president of the club, Stéphane Richard. The verdict is expected by the end of May.
