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Cardiff City will argue their case for more than £100 million in damages from Nantes at a French commercial court hearing on Monday, claiming the Argentine striker’s death cost them Premier League survival in 2019. The hearing represents the latest chapter in a seven-year legal battle following Sala’s plane crash death just days after his £15 million transfer.
Cardiff City Pursue £104 Million Damages Claim Against Nantes Over Sala Death
Cardiff will present their case at Nantes commercial court on Monday afternoon, seeking 120.2 million euros in damages following Emiliano Sala’s death in January 2019. The 28-year-old Argentine striker and pilot David Ibbotson died in a plane crash over the English Channel while travelling to join Cardiff, just two days after the club announced him as their record £15 million signing from the French side.
The Welsh club’s damages claim stems from their argument that Sala could have prevented their relegation from the Premier League in the 2018-19 season. Cardiff will present evidence from court-approved experts, including a statistical report from football data company FC Analytics, showing Sala could have given them a 62 per cent greater chance of staying in the Premier League that season.
Cardiff’s legal argument centres on their claim that former football agent Willie McKay was working on behalf of Nantes when he arranged the fatal flight through plane operator David Henderson. Henderson was later found guilty of endangering aircraft safety and sentenced to 18 months in prison for organising the unlicensed flight. Cardiff obtained emails and documents through civil proceedings against McKay in February 2024, which they say prove Nantes’ responsibility for the flight arrangement.
The damages calculation includes independent analysis of lost income following relegation, the impact on Cardiff’s overall value, and the original transfer fee. Nantes have previously disputed Cardiff’s claims and their position remains unchanged ahead of Monday’s hearing. The case differs from previous Fifa and Court of Arbitration for Sport rulings, which focused solely on contractual payment obligations rather than responsibility for the flight or potential damages.
The hearing will be conducted by consular judges from the business community rather than legal professionals, with no witnesses called and evidence already submitted. While the hearing could conclude within hours, a verdict is not expected until March 2025, with appeal options available to both parties regardless of the outcome.
