AC Milan banned from Europe for two seasons

AC Milan supporters will have no European football to look forward to for the next two seasons.

The Serie A side had qualified for next season's Europa League after finishing in sixth place in the Italian top flight last term but, as it stands, they will no longer be taking part after receiving a ban from European competition over breaking Financial Fair Play rules. Milan were referred to Uefa's adjudicatory chamber in May after failing to provide evidence of the club's financial stability and a decision was reached on Wednesday afternoon to exclude them from European tournaments for the next two years. "The club is excluded from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next two (2) seasons (i.e. one competition in 2018/19 or 2019/20, subject to qualification)," a statement said. Milan will be given the the opportunity to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in accordance with Article 34(2) of the Procedural rules governing the Uefa Club Financial Control Body, as well as Articles 62 and 63 of the Uefa Statutes. If the suspension is upheld, the seven-time European Cup winners would be replaced by Atalanta in the Europa League group stages while Fiorentina would then take Atalanta's place in the Europa League qualifying rounds. The ban represents the heaviest punishment yet on a club from any of Europe's top five leagues regarding Financial Fair Play.