'Comply with Uefa' – Anxious wait for Brighton chairman Tony Bloom amid Europa League confusion and major Aston Villa change

Brighton and Union SG are both owned by Albion chairman Bloom and both qualified for the Europa League this season. As reported by Sam Cunningham in inews.co.uk this week, Uefa have been studying the situation at Aston Villa and Brighton and their multi-club ownership.

Villa and Portuguese Primeira Liga side Vitória de Guimarães share the same owners and both will compete in the Europa Conference League this campaign, while Brighton and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise – both owned by Bloom – are to compete in the Europa.

As it stands, Uefa rules do not allow clubs from separate leagues owned by the same owners to compete in the same competition. It also states the lower-ranked side is disqualified from the competition.

Yesterday, Aston Villa swiftly decreased their share in Vitória de Guimarães and released this statement. “V Sports has today announced that it has reduced its stake in Vitoria Sport Clube – Futebol, SAD to 29 per cent by transferring shares equalling 17 per cent of the club’s total equity back to Vitoria SC.

“It also no longer has any representation on the board of directors of Vitoria Sport Clube – Futebol, SAD in order to comply with all UEFA regulations and ensure the independence of both Vitoria Sport Clube – Futebol, SAD and Aston Villa FC.”

Uefa were due to announce their findings yesterday but they are now expected to confirm their stance next week. It prolongs the situation for Brighton and Bloom – who took over the Belgian Pro-League club in 2018.

Previously, Alex Muzio, president of Union SG said to Belgian broadcaster Sporza: “Before Tony and I invested in this club, we looked into that, looked at all the Uefa rules. We also talked to them then and in our opinion there is no problem. It’s just that Uefa only shoots into action when it’s effectively there. Otherwise they have to do that for maybe 50 clubs, because there are more investors who own multiple clubs.”