Rummenigge wants Financial Fair Play with teeth

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge called on UEFA to reinforce Financial Fair Play with real consequences. Speaking at a summit on the future of the Bundesliga in Cologne, Rummenigge urged UEFA to do more than impose monetary fines, which have had little influence on freewheeling clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.

If I have such owners, money is relative . . . You can’t hurt them much with fines. [What hurts is] when you revoke their license or deduct points.

Rummenigge expressed confidence that new UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin would find a viable solution:

I’m convinced he will take action to adapt and modernize Financial Fair Play and at the end of the day ensure that it is managed fairly.

The Bundesliga has much at stake in a solution from UEFA. If Financial Fair Play cannot stabilize the exploding transfer market, German teams may find themselves forced to seek out billionaire investors to remain internationally competitive.

If that happens [FFP is successfully reformed], German soccer will remain competitive. If it isn’t implemented in earnest, we will have to have a serious discussion about whether we should permit the clubs to decide for themselves about the 50+1 rule.

The 50+1 rule currently prevents most Bundesliga clubs from giving investors majority control - allowing for notable exceptions.