A French commercial court has dismissed a €122 million compensation claim filed by Cardiff City against FC Nantes over the death of Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala in a 2019 plane crash.
In its ruling, the court rejected Cardiff’s demand for damages related to alleged financial losses and instead ordered the Welsh club to pay €300,000 in moral damages to Nantes.
Cardiff had initiated legal proceedings in 2023, arguing that it suffered significant economic losses following Sala’s death, including lost revenue and the club’s subsequent relegation from the English Premier League.
Sala, 28, died on January 21, 2019, when a light aircraft carrying him from France to the United Kingdom crashed in the English Channel, just two days after he completed a transfer from Nantes to Cardiff. The pilot, David Ibbotson, also died in the حادث.
Following an internal assessment, Cardiff estimated its losses at €122 million, citing the sporting and financial impact of the tragedy. Since then, the club has dropped from the Premier League and now competes in the third tier of English football.
Reacting to the verdict, Cardiff’s lawyer, Celine Jones, expressed disappointment, stating that the legal action was aimed at uncovering the full circumstances surrounding Sala’s death and ensuring accountability.
“Today, we bitterly observe that the principles of transparency, integrity, and safety in professional football have not prevailed in this decision,” she said.
On its part, Nantes welcomed the court’s decision, maintaining that it bore no responsibility for the incident.
“We are pleased the court listened to us and confirmed this in clear terms,” said the club’s lawyer, Jerome Marsaudon.
Cardiff had argued that Nantes, through intermediary agent Willie McKay, arranged the private flight that ended in tragedy.
However, previous rulings had already addressed key aspects of the case. In 2022, the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed that Sala’s transfer to Cardiff had been completed before his death.
Subsequently, in 2023, FIFA ordered Cardiff to pay the outstanding balance of the transfer fee, amounting to just over €11 million from a total €17 million agreement.
Legal analysts say the latest ruling further clarifies the responsibilities of the parties involved, while closing another chapter in the prolonged dispute between the two clubs.
The case has drawn widespread attention across the football world, raising broader concerns about player transfers, the use of private flights and safety standards within the sport.
Despite the court’s decision, observers note that the tragedy of Sala’s death continues to resonate, serving as a reminder of the risks surrounding player movements and the need for stricter oversight in professional football.
