Financial Fair Play prevents new investment in football - AC Milan sporting director Gandini

The Italian discussed the impact of the regulation on the game and stressed that the current rules are prohibitive for prospective new owners

AC Milan sporting director Umberto Gandini believes that current Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations prevent new investment in football clubs.

Speaking at the International Sports Conference in Dubai, the Italian stated his belief that FFP maintains the status quo of the established European sides and doesn’t provide equal conditions of competition. 

Gandini is also the vice-chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), an independent body that represents the interests of teams in European competitions, one that is also heavily involved in the decision-making process when implementing new directives.

FFP has been the subject of intense scrutiny recently, with Jose Mourinho branding the current set-up a "contradiction", and Gandini feels that the situation requires reassessment.

The Italian said: "Financial Fair Play has brought some control and common sense into the administration of football clubs in Europe.

"It has been a success in terms of producing a reduction in the overall losses in European football.

"On the other hand, there is a crystallisation [of the top clubs] and we now have significant investors waiting to come into the game but they are prevented from doing so by FFP.

"There are currently five or six major clubs in Europe but what Uefa should be aiming for is to have 20 major clubs."

Also speaking at the conference, Uefa General Secretary Gianni Infantino defended FFP, countering: "It is important to look to the future. What FFP has done is make sure that when you manage a club you have to do so in a certain way. 

"There was a period of austerity and now we should look to the next stage - and that is growth. There can still be 20 major clubs and not just in England but major European clubs too. We just have to be brave."  

Infantino also showed frustration when asked to comment on the ongoing controversy surrounding the decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup, stating his desire for clarity on the subject of Michael Garcia's report on corruption within Fifa.

He added: “The vote [to award Qatar the tournament] took place four years ago, and people are still talking about it. Either there is something in it, or there is nothing. The sooner everything is out and everything is clear, it will be better.