Legal battle between Cardiff City and FC Nantes over Emiliano Sala’s death in plane crash

Cardiff City Football Club has taken legal action against Football Club de Nantes, seeking over £100m in losses following the tragic death of striker Emiliano Sala in a plane crash in January 2019. The Welsh club’s lawyer, Celine Jones, stated that an analysis estimated the losses at 120.2m euros, with the figure now being filed in a French court.

Sala, a promising 28-year-old Argentine striker, had just signed with Cardiff City in a £15m transfer from Nantes before the fatal accident. The club’s decision to pursue legal action against Nantes came after the Court of Arbitration in Sport ruled that they did not have jurisdiction over the case.

The dispute between the two clubs has been ongoing, with Cardiff City facing a transfer embargo from Fifa for initially refusing to pay Nantes the first instalment of Sala’s transfer fee. After an unsuccessful appeal with CAS, the club eventually paid the sum in January 2023, leading to the lifting of the sanctions.

The estimated damages sought by Cardiff City stem from financial and reputational losses incurred due to their relegation from the Premier League in 2019. Jones argued that Sala’s presence on the team could have potentially prevented relegation, as his goal-scoring abilities could have made a significant impact.

The legal battle between Cardiff City and Nantes continues, with both clubs awaiting a response from the French court. The tragic loss of Emiliano Sala has had far-reaching consequences, not only for the clubs involved but for the football community as a whole.