Cardiff City’s £100m damages claim surrounding the 2019 transfer of Nantes striker Emiliano Sala will be heard today in France.
The Welsh club argues that they’re owed damages after the death of Sala, who was killed when his plane crashed on the way to Cardiff for a £15m transfer in January 2019.
He and the pilot, David Ibbotson, died in the English Channel near Guernsey. Cardiff believe Sala was of such a quality that they’d have maintained their place in the Premier League.
The flight was later found to be unlicensed, with trip organiser David Henderson sentenced to 18 months in prison for endangering the safety of an aircraft.
The Nantes commercial court will today hear Cardiff’s claims that the Ligue 1 club is responsible for the financial consequences of Sala’s death. Nantes have previously denied such suggestions and Cardiff have chosen a French jurisdiction to avoid future disputes over location.
Sala saga reaches key point
Cardiff refused to pay the transfer fee before appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after football governing body Fifa demanded they pay Nantes. Their appeal was unsuccessful.
In a statement issued ahead of the hearing, Cardiff said: “The hearing marks another step towards uncovering the truth and establishing more accountability in football.
“This case isn’t about harming football: it’s about protecting its integrity. This is about ensuring higher standards across our sport, especially surrounding transfers.
“Because Emiliano Sala deserved better. Because football deserves better.”
The case is set to be heard in Nantes by elected business owners and directors, rather than the legal profession.
Added Cardiff: “This tragedy, which began nearly seven years ago, cost Emiliano Sala his life.
“It is a tragedy that could and should have been avoided, had the people involved in the transfer on FC Nantes’ side not relied on the services of a banned agent, who went on to organise illegal flights to get the deal done.”