Updated June 26, 2020, 9:52 p.m.
The corona crisis is shaking up sport, including European football. Players change clubs in the summer, but not all competitions are over. Timo Werner, for example, joins Chelsea, but a special UEFA rule would allow him to still play for Leipzig in the Champions League. A sports lawyer explains why it’s his right to refuse.
Should RB Leipzig win the Champions League in Lisbon in August, one of the major stars involved will no longer be there and cheer. Timo Werner, by far the most successful Leipzig goal scorer (32 goals this season across all competitions), will then train with his new teammates from Chelsea.
The German international, who is moving to London for 53 million euros, has decided not to help Leipzig in the outstanding Champions League games. From August 12 to 23, the games will be rescheduled with a blitz tournament in Lisbon. Instead, he prefers to prepare for his first season in the Premier League with his new team. Can RB Leipzig force his striker to play the remaining games?
UEFA’s special rule: Werner is not yet allowed to play for Chelsea in the Champions League
Werner receives a lot of criticism for his decision, for example from ex-international Stefan Effenberg. “He leaves a great opportunity behind and also lets his colleagues down with whom he achieved this,” said Effenberg at “Sport 1”. A few days ago, UEFA set up a special regulation that summer signings can be used in the remaining games of the 2019/20 European season.
FIFA also “strongly recommended that priority be given to the former club”. The parties “should definitely renew the current contract and postpone the start of the new contract.”
Exit clause gives Werner all freedom over Leipzig
It is his decision that he no longer plays for Leipzig, as sports lawyer Joachim Rain explains: “The opt-out clause entitles him to terminate the contract with his club if another club is willing to pay the agreed amount.” This means that the contract made with RB will be canceled as of July 1st – the club will therefore no longer have any decision-making powers over the player. “From then on, Leipzig can no longer do anything.”
The situation is different if there is no exit clause in the contract. “Without the exit clause, the three parties, the player and the two clubs, would have negotiated the modalities of the move freely,” says Rain. “Then all three parties should have agreed.” Leipzig could then have agreed, for example, with Chelsea that Werner would still play all of the competitive games from the old season.
Many club changes simply pushed back
Normally, this would not happen because there is no competitive game in the old season after July 1st, says Rain. The corona crisis shifts everything, but: “The mechanisms that come into force when a club changes are the same.”
In addition to the transfer of Timo Werner, hardly any other changes are known for the summer, which is also due to the special situation. Clubs wait until the season is over before buying reinforcements or handing over players.
There could be a number of explosive changes in the summer: Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach, recently confirmed that winger Leroy Sané wants to leave the club. FC Bayern has long been considered the hottest candidate. Even Werner’s successor in Leipzig has not yet been determined, the “Red Bulls” should have Werder striker Milot Rashica in their sights. The new club of Mario Götze is also not yet known.
UEFA recommends transfers until October 5
Due to the later restart compared to the Bundesliga, the Premier League season ends on July 26, Serie A even on August 2. UEFA recommends that the summer transfer window be extended until October 5. You have asked the national football associations to do so.
The clubs must register their players for the Champions League and Europa League 2020/2021 by October 6, two weeks later the first group match day begins. All new signings should be allowed to participate in this. Timo Werner is then also entitled to play and can cheer with the “blues”.
Swell:
- NTV.de: Werner whistles for FIFA and Champions League:
- Stuttgarter Zeitung: Transfer window should remain open until October 5
- Welt.de: Werner decides against Leipzig – harsh criticism from Effenberg
- Sport1: Werner lets CL whiz with Leipzig
- Conversation with Dr. Joachim Rain, sports lawyer at Schickhardt Law
In a press conference, Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp expresses a very vulgar expression. The press spokesman promptly reprimands him. © ProSiebenSat.1
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