Cardiff City 'want Nantes to pay £80MILLION in compensation

Cardiff City 'want Nantes to pay £80MILLION in compensation after claiming Emiliano Sala's death in plane crash led to their relegation from the Premier League'

Cardiff were set to sign striker Emiliano Sala from Nantes in January 2019
However, the player was killed in a plane crash on his way to completing the deal
The plane trip was organised by Sala's agent Willie McKay on Nantes' behalf
As a result, Cardiff believe the club should be held responsible for his death
They feel Sala's death led to them getting relegated from the Premier League
Cardiff are now seeking an £80million compensation package from Nantes

Cardiff City are seeking a huge £80million compensation package from French club Nantes after claiming that Emiliano Sala's death resulted in them being relegated from the Premier League, according to reports.

Sala was due to sign for Cardiff in January 2019, but died in a plane crash on his way to finalising the transfer.

The Bluebirds went on to be relegated from the top-flight four months later, finishing two points behind 17th-placed Brighton, and the club's manager at the time of Sala's death, Neil Warnock, felt the striker's goals could have kept them up.

The Welsh outfit are now pushing for £80m from Nantes, which they believe they lost in TV rights, advertising and sponsorship after dropping down to the Championship, as reported by The Sun.

The claim was published in a book that came out on Monday named 'The Truth - The Killing of Emiliano Sala'.
Emiliano Sala spent four years at French club Nantes between 2015 and 2019

Emiliano Sala (pictured) spent four years at French club Nantes between 2015 and 2019
He was due to sign for Cardiff in 2019, but was killed in a plane crash on his way to the club

He was due to sign for Cardiff in 2019, but was killed in a plane crash on his way to the club

It is understood that Cardiff made this claim in their Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) appeal hearing, which is reviewing whether the Championship club should pay Nantes £15m for Sala - the agreed fee between the clubs before he passed away.

Cardiff feel Nantes should be held accountable for Sala's death as his agent Willie McKay arranged the plane on their behalf that subsequently crashed and killed the Argentine.

Cardiff have used the 2007 Carlos Tevez case as an example for their current stance.

Back then, West Ham were ruled to have broken third-party player ownership rules when signing Tevez and his international team-mate Javier Mascherano.
Sala's agent Willie McKay (above) organised the plane carrying the striker that crashed

Sala's agent Willie McKay (above) organised the plane carrying the striker that crashed
Cardiff has based their claim on the Carlos Tevez case from 2007 - Sheffield United were paid a hefty compensation fee after West Ham broke third-party player ownership rules

Cardiff has based their claim on the Carlos Tevez case from 2007 - Sheffield United were paid a hefty compensation fee after West Ham broke third-party player ownership rules

Tevez scored seven goals in the second half of the 2006-07 season to keep West Ham in the Premier League at Sheffield United's expense.

Sheffield United wanted West Ham to be docked points, which would have allowed the Blades to stay in England's top division.

However, they eventually settled on a compensation fee worth £26.5m. Cardiff are now seeking a much higher figure, which includes approximately £20m in parachute payments.

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Going to be interesting this case , cardiff have got a strong case as mckays were the selling agents for nantes and he arranged the illegal flight . Not sure it would of made us stay up tho .

If this argument has any traction with the court then I can see this being settled out of court.

Going to be interesting this case , cardiff have got a strong case as mckays were the selling agents for nantes and he arranged the illegal flight . Not sure it would of made us stay up tho .

I agree.

It would be almost impossible to win a case for the losses incurred by relegation. I'm guessing that CAS use the civil definition of "on the balance of probabilities" rather than the criminal "beyond reasonable doubt" and even then it would look to be a stretch. But well worth adding to the case as very little lost if we're already appealing.

I'm really not sure we'll win this one on the evidence. But we have exposed what a murky world some of these transfers take part in.

Many people believed that this was something we should just pay off but given the evidence that has come out it was certainly worth taking this to the higher tribunals.

I can't help thinking that Nantes may regret not wanting to negotiate a settlement though.

Anyone know when the judgment will be given ?

If this argument has any traction with the court then I can see this being settled out of court.

I thought this had already been heard by CAS and we're just waiting on a judgement ? If so the settlement route is gone I would think.

But you're right, that would have been the best for both sides but my understanding was that Nantes wouldn't even consider negotiating. It's a strange decision because CAS wouldn't even have considered the appeal if there wasn't some merit is Cardiff's case, it would have been summarily dismissed so surely Nantes should have at least considered the settlement option ?

We'll see.

Oops sorry Roger , only just seen.

If this argument has any traction with the court then I can see this being settled out of court.

I thought this had already been heard by CAS and we're just waiting on a judgement ? If so the settlement route is gone I would think.

But you're right, that would have been the best for both sides but my understanding was that Nantes wouldn't even consider negotiating. It's a strange decision because CAS wouldn't even have considered the appeal if there wasn't some merit is Cardiff's case, it would have been summarily dismissed so surely Nantes should have at least considered the settlement option ?

We'll see.

I get the impression FC of Nantes want the full amount 'end of' and have refused many requests to discuss 'without prejudice' from the Bluebird side

I hope it comes back to bite them on the backside but there is now part of me that asks why this new course of action has been publicised (or leaked) before the CAS adjudication is known?

Or is it already known?

Probably not; but I would hope the two clubs would be informed before it is announced publicly

If this argument has any traction with the court then I can see this being settled out of court.

I thought this had already been heard by CAS and we're just waiting on a judgement ? If so the settlement route is gone I would think.

But you're right, that would have been the best for both sides but my understanding was that Nantes wouldn't even consider negotiating. It's a strange decision because CAS wouldn't even have considered the appeal if there wasn't some merit is Cardiff's case, it would have been summarily dismissed so surely Nantes should have at least considered the settlement option ?

We'll see.

I get the impression FC of Nantes want the full amount 'end of' and have refused many requests to discuss 'without prejudice' from the Bluebird side

I hope it comes back to bite them on the backside but there is now part of me that asks why this new course of action has been publicised (or leaked) before the CAS adjudication is known?

Or is it already known?

Probably not; but I would hope the two clubs would be informed before it is announced publicly

If they have refused negotiations and the CAS find anything in favour of Cardiff then there could be some significant costs implications for Nantes if CAS believe time and money could have been save by reasonable negotiations. It's very unusual in a civil case for a point blank refusal to negotiate in my experience.

If this argument has any traction with the court then I can see this being settled out of court.

I thought this had already been heard by CAS and we're just waiting on a judgement ? If so the settlement route is gone I would think.

But you're right, that would have been the best for both sides but my understanding was that Nantes wouldn't even consider negotiating. It's a strange decision because CAS wouldn't even have considered the appeal if there wasn't some merit is Cardiff's case, it would have been summarily dismissed so surely Nantes should have at least considered the settlement option ?

We'll see.

I get the impression FC of Nantes want the full amount 'end of' and have refused many requests to discuss 'without prejudice' from the Bluebird side

I hope it comes back to bite them on the backside but there is now part of me that asks why this new course of action has been publicised (or leaked) before the CAS adjudication is known?

Or is it already known?

Probably not; but I would hope the two clubs would be informed before it is announced publicly

If they have refused negotiations and the CAS find anything in favour of Cardiff then there could be some significant costs implications for Nantes if CAS believe time and money could have been save by reasonable negotiations. It's very unusual in a civil case for a point blank refusal to negotiate in my experience.

I agree...

The english fa had more to do with us falling out of the prem imo
by refussing to give us an extension in the transfer window due to the loss of sala they said it would set a prescient
redicioulous
when most of the football clubs within the prem where happyto agree an extension and understood that cardiff where dealing with something very different to the norm
and while the football club was having to deal with the imediate family the police coast gaurd etc the transfer window had to take a step back the players manager and all conected fans included.

Who organised the flight ?
Who was responsible for the aircraft ?
Did they have public liability insurance / professional indemnity insurance ?
Until the contract was signed and all the stipulations in the contract signed off - then he was still a Nantes player. For example - IF the contract says "subject to international clearance" "subject to approval from the FA/FAW/Premier League" etc - then he technically was a Nantes player.

Now if all those details had been cleared and mcKay / nantes were organising the flight - and knowingly put him on plane with an unqualified pilot etc etc - then the club very much have a claim to make against those parties.

This case will set precedent with regards to all future transfers, that's for sure.

The english fa had more to do with us falling out of the prem imo
by refussing to give us an extension in the transfer window due to the loss of sala they said it would set a prescient
redicioulous
when most of the football clubs within the prem where happyto agree an extension and understood that cardiff where dealing with something very different to the norm
and while the football club was having to deal with the imediate family the police coast gaurd etc the transfer window had to take a step back the players manager and all conected fans included.

It's a mute point and I have an honest question: would we have paid a similar fee for a replacement or muddled through either with what we already had or gone for a much cheaper option?

The club were reeling from the event and didn't do too much in January , so far as I remember?

The english fa had more to do with us falling out of the prem imo
by refussing to give us an extension in the transfer window due to the loss of sala they said it would set a prescient
redicioulous
when most of the football clubs within the prem where happyto agree an extension and understood that cardiff where dealing with something very different to the norm
and while the football club was having to deal with the imediate family the police coast gaurd etc the transfer window had to take a step back the players manager and all conected fans included.

It's a mute point and I have an honest question: would we have paid a similar fee for a replacement or muddled through either with what we already had or gone for a much cheaper option?

The club were reeling from the event and didn't do too much in January , so far as I remember?

If my memory serves me right wasn't there a couple of clubs that were willing help us out with a striker had the EPL given us an extension?

Not sure if it was loan's or allowing payment at a later date.

As for the 80 million compensation, it is nothing more than a counter claim and I would assume Cardiff would be happy with the 15 million to NOT have to be paid.

Who organised the flight ?
Who was responsible for the aircraft ?
Did they have public liability insurance / professional indemnity insurance ?
Until the contract was signed and all the stipulations in the contract signed off - then he was still a Nantes player. For example - IF the contract says "subject to international clearance" "subject to approval from the FA/FAW/Premier League" etc - then he technically was a Nantes player.

Now if all those details had been cleared and mcKay / nantes were organising the flight - and knowingly put him on plane with an unqualified pilot etc etc - then the club very much have a claim to make against those parties.

This case will set precedent with regards to all future transfers, that's for sure.

Bang on

Club Statement.

Cardiff City FC wish to clarify that there is no truth in today’s press stories relating to a compensation claim being made against FC Nantes.
The suggestions that have been made can be wholly dismissed as false.

I've just been informed by GrangeEndStar that the figures the journos are referring to are a year old...

Equally, the £80m quoted is the 1st year total loss figure after relegation from the Premier League (according to YouTube channel 'The Athletic'

WAYNE S

Yes your are right also the Epl said that it would be giving an unfair advantage if they allowed an extension to the transfer window for cardiff
But failed to state that at the time whrn cardiff where dealing with the situation the rest of the prem clubs where at an advatage and carrying on in the transfer window
I have never forgiven them for there awkwardness at that time
plus them siding with derby snowgate.