The protracted legal dispute between Welsh club Cardiff City and French club Nantes has reached a significant point, as the Nantes Commercial Court rejected Cardiff’s claims on Monday. The court has ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes €480,000 (£400,000) to cover legal costs and moral damages.
Cardiff City retains the right to appeal this decision, but the obligation to pay remains in place. Should they choose to appeal, the proceedings could potentially extend for several more years. Reports indicate that the club and its legal team will take time to deliberate on the verdict.
The dispute stems from the ill-fated transfer of Argentine striker Emiliano Sala. On January 19, 2019, Cardiff City announced his signing for a club-record fee of £15 million, a move intended to help them avoid relegation from the Premier League. Tragically, two days later, Sala’s plane crashed into the English Channel while he was en route from Nantes to Cardiff. Both Sala and the pilot were later found dead.
Cardiff initiated legal action against Nantes, holding the French club accountable for the accident. Their argument was based on the fact that an intermediary enlisted by Nantes had arranged the flight, which was later found to be unregulated. However, Nantes was not deemed directly responsible for the flight’s organization.
In total, Cardiff sought €120 million from Nantes, claiming compensation for lost revenue and other damages. They argued that Sala’s presence could have preserved their Premier League status; the club is currently in League One, England’s third tier. Despite these claims, the French court has ruled against the Welsh club, mirroring previous decisions by FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), both of whom also dismissed Cardiff’s demands.