Cardiff City lose £100m Emiliano Sala claim as French court orders club to pay Nantes

Cardiff City’s bid to secure more than £100 million in damages over the death of Emiliano Sala has been dismissed by a French court.

The Welsh club had argued that FC Nantes bore responsibility for the circumstances that led to Sala’s fatal flight in January 2019.

However, a tribunal in Nantes rejected the claim on Monday and ordered Cardiff to pay the French side more than £400,000 in costs.

Sala, 28, died when the light aircraft carrying him from France to join Cardiff City crashed into the English Channel. The pilot, David Ibbotson, also died.

Cardiff had sought damages covering not only the transfer fee agreed for the striker, but also wider financial losses including potential future earnings.

The club’s legal case centred on the role of agent Willie McKay, who they argued had organised the flight and had been enlisted by Nantes.

But the French court dismissed the negligence claim, dealing a fresh legal blow to Cardiff in a long-running dispute stemming from Sala’s death.

In a strongly worded statement, Cardiff said they “deeply regret” the outcome and criticised what they described as a lack of accountability.

“We initiated these proceedings so that the full truth of this case could come to light, in respect of Emiliano Sala’s memory,” the club said.

“Today, we note with bitterness that the principles of transparency, integrity and safety in professional football have not prevailed in this decision.”

The club also criticised the continued involvement of McKay in football, describing him as “a controversial and unlicensed agent” whose actions they said had contributed to the tragedy.

They questioned how he could still operate in the game and highlighted that Nantes had paid him more than it contributed to a fund set up in Sala’s memory.

Ethical standards

Cardiff added: “More than ever, there is an urgent need to strengthen safety and ethical standards in the management and protection of players, so that such a tragedy can never happen again.

“The world of football must take a hard look at itself.”

The ruling is the latest development in a series of legal battles following Sala’s death.

In separate proceedings, Cardiff were ordered by FIFA to pay Nantes the agreed transfer fee of €15 million (£13 million), despite the player never making an appearance for the club.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the payment of the first instalment in 2022, with FIFA later ruling that the remaining balance must also be paid.