Platini won't stop Monaco spending

The wealthy French club have already splashed out over €100 million on players this summer, yet the Uefa president will only act once they qualify for Europe

Michel Platini has revealed that Uefa will not halt Monaco's spending spree until they qualify for Europe - despite the transfer assault clearly breaching new Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

The Ligue 2 champions - backed by fertiliser tycoon Dmitry Rybolovlev - have already spent over €100 million on bringing the likes of Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Ricardo Carvalho to the club this summer.

The lavish nature of their transfer policy has led to further questioning of European football's plans to restore a level playing field, but Monaco will escape Uefa'scrutinous eye until they qualify for Europe.
"For now, Monaco are not in any Uefa competitions, so they are not in our thoughts. When that happens, we'll talk," Platini told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"CAS, an independent body, confirmed our sanctions. I can assure you that it is not in the interest of Uefa to expel Malaga: FFP rather serves to help them.

"Around April-May 2014 we will figure out who has complied with the rules and who hasn't. This will be the decisive crossroads.

Platini then gave his opinion on the current state of football in Europe and expressed the view that his former club Juventus can turn their Serie A dominance into Champions League success, while tipping Lorenzo Insigne and Isco to become "superstars".
"They're doing a great job. They're dominating in Italy, and now they will try to compete in Europe," he remarked.
"In football anything is possible. I'm not a fortune-teller who foresees results, but I watch the games: even by reading just Italian newspapers, it seemed to me Juventus were the team that made Bayern suffer the most last season.
"Each country has its own policy and objectives [regarding youth]. Certainly the young Italians, like the Spanish ones, are good and can become superstars, I think of Insigne and Isco, for example."

Recent Uefa competitions have sparked controversy for potentially putting its participants at risk - including the political protests overshadowing Euro 2012 in Ukraine and the Under-21 Championship in Israel.

However, Platini insists football is doing everything it can to bring communities together in the face of global issues.
"Even last year we were advised not to go to Ukraine because we could have encountered problems. Instead it was all good. I do not do politics," he said.

"Israel has a Uefa member association and as such has the same rights as other countries [in Uefa].
"The Palestinian protests are legitimate, but in my projects there is football for everyone through the involvement of children and families, including Palestinians, Afghans and Syrians."