French court dismisses Cardiff’s £104m claim against Nantes over Emiliano Sala death

WorldFootball
30 Mar 2026 • 9:40 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • A French court has dismissed Cardiff City's £104m (€120m) compensation claim against Nantes following the death of Argentine striker Emiliano Sala.
  • The court ruled that Nantes was not at fault for the plane crash in January 2019 that killed Sala and pilot David Ibbotson, and that Cardiff did not suffer reputational damages.
  • Cardiff had sought compensation for loss of income and other damages, including the impact on the team's ability to remain in the Premier League after Sala's £15m transfer.
  • Nantes was awarded €300,000 (£260,000) in moral damages, with the court finding that the French club had suffered as a result of the legal battle.
  • The organiser of the flight, David Henderson, was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2021 for recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft.

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