UEFA cuts Athletic fine to 10,000 euros and closes Padilla case four months on | OneFootball

UEFA has reduced Athletic’s penalty to a 10,000 euro fine, drawing a line under the Padilla case four months after FIFA’s blacklist episode. The club will not appeal.

UEFA confirmed on Thursday that its Club Financial Control Body had lowered the initial 20,000 euro sanction, imposed over late payments. Athletic’s appeal prompted the reduction.

The row erupted in February when FIFA barred Athletic from registering new players until January 2028, spanning three windows, citing disagreements with Pumas over goalkeeper Álex Padilla’s loan. That restriction, which also covered Vélez and Algeciras, was lifted within two days.

Padilla played in Mexico from January to June 2025. Athletic received 400,000 euros for the loan, then paid 300,000 to bring him back ahead of the agreed June 2026 date, a move Pumas were apparently unhappy with.

Six other clubs were sanctioned. Sarajevo were fined 20,000 euros, Ordabasy Shymkent 75,000, Budućnost Podgorica 95,000, Ballkani 200,000 and Cluj 200,000, with Athletic receiving the smallest financial penalty.

Dinamo Batumi were banned from registering players for the next three windows, mirroring the initial warning to Athletic. For repeat offences and delays beyond 90 days, Cluj and Ballkani were excluded from European competition for two seasons, while Budućnost and Ordabasy received one-season bans.

Source: El Correo