Bayern chief Rummenigge against scrapping FFP & letting only ´clubs owned by billionaires´ compete

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge does not want to see UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) model scrapped and has called for tougher sanctions for clubs that break the rules.

FFP regulations, approved by UEFA in 2010 to prevent clubs that qualify for its competitions from spending beyond their means, appear set for significant changes due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The break-even requirement, which means clubs must balance their spending with their revenues and restricts the accumulation of debt, has been declared “purposeless” by UEFA in the context of the revenue crisis caused by COVID-19.

Changes to those specific regulations could well be on the horizon but, though Rummenigge sees the merit in such adjustments, he is firmly against talk of FFP being scrapped altogether.

He told The Athletic of the break-even rule: “Right now, you’re allowed to lose €30million (£25.8m) over three years.

“You can’t even buy a player for that kind of money, so it’s worth looking into it if that can be sensibly adjusted.”

However, on FFP as a whole, Rummenigge added: “Things were spiralling out of control, with many clubs losing money in the past.

“FFP has led to a more rational approach, by forcing clubs to budget sensibly and it has made football profitable as a result.

“We can’t get to the point where only clubs owned by billionaires can compete.”

Rummenigge and the Bayern hierarchy have long been vocal about their commitment to a self-sustainable business model, and he is keen to see FFP changed so that it features harsher penalties for clubs that do not live within their means and breach regulations.

“The current FFP doesn’t quite get it right, because the punishments don’t work,” said Rummenigge. “They’re not well defined enough, it’s all a grey area.

“Clubs who violate the rules in the future must face much more severe sanctions. We need to really get it right this time. Smart people are looking at it.”