A French court on Monday dismissed Cardiff City’s compensation claim valued at 122 million euros $140 million in a financial dispute with Ligue 1 club Nantes over the 2019 death of Argentine striker Emiliano Sala.
The Welsh club had taken the case to the Nantes commercial court in 2023 seeking damages for loss of income and other financial losses linked to Sala’s death. Instead, the court ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes 300,000 euros in moral damages.
Sala, 28, d on January 21 2019 when the light aircraft carrying him to Cardiff crashed in the English Channel two days after he signed for the then Premier League side. Both Sala and pilot David Ibbotson were ed in the accident.
An analysis by an expert appointed by Cardiff estimated the club’s financial losses at 122 million euros. Since Sala’s death, Cardiff have been relegated from the Premier League and currently compete in English football’s third tier.
Cardiff’s lawyer Celine Jones said the case was pursued to uncover the full truth and honor Sala’s memory. She expressed disappointment in the ruling, citing concerns over transparency and integrity in professional football.
Nantes, struggling in the Ligue 1 relegation zone this season, welcomed the decision. Club lawyer Jerome Marsaudon said the French side was not responsible for the accident and praised the court for confirming their position.
Cardiff had argued that Nantes through intermediary agent Willie McKay organised the private flight, which was at issue if Sala’s transfer was effective at the time. The Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS ruled in 2022 that the transfer had been finalized, and FIFA in 2023 ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes over 11 million euros of the transfer fee.
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