Milan Ask to Be Removed From Next Season's Europa League After Breaching Financial Fair Play Rules

Serie A side Milan have asked to be kicked out of the 2019/20 Europa League after failing to meet Financial Fair Play regulations in the past two seasons.

UEFA's FFP rules state that clubs can lose £27m over the span of three years, but in the 2018/19 season alone Milan spent well over £180m on transfers, only to fall short of Serie A's top four again.

UEFA's case against Milan has been suspended until after their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport from the 2018/19 campaign is concluded.

MARCO BERTORELLO/GettyImages

This is now the second season in which Milan have fallen short of FFP regulations, but they hoped the influx of revenue they would have received from qualifying for the Champions League would help offset these financial troubles.

As reported by Corriere della Serra, current Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis wants the ban to be applied instantly, which would grant Milan more time to balance their books but also ensure they have no sanctions placed on future summer signings, allowing them the freedom to go on another summer spending spree.

Tullio M. Puglia/GettyImages

If Milan's gamble is to work, they would have to reach the top four in the 2019/20 season in order to offset their financial deficit caused by reckless spending over the past few transfer windows.

This would leave Marco Giampaolo, expected to be confirmed as the club's new manager soon, free to sign the players he wants in the summer transfer window without the threat of financial sanctions so Milan can finally push for their first Champions League qualification since the 2013/14 season.

Paolo Rattini/GettyImages

If the request is granted, Roma would be thrust into the group stages of the competition instead of I Rossoneri, while seventh placed Torino would take Roma's place in the qualifiers.