Chelsea and Aston Villa in line for UEFA response over financial rules, with Barcelona facing bigger charge

Chelsea have signed some huge names across the years.

UEFA could fine Chelsea and Aston Villa for breaching their financial rules - but Barcelona could be facing a much heftier punishment.

The two Premier League sides are both reported to have exceeded the limits on how much of a loss they are able to make over any three-year period, with the charges relating to the period ending in the 2023/24 season.

In Chelsea's case, the issue comes down to differences in how UEFA and the Premier League apply their respective financial rules.

Barcelona could face stiffer punishment than Chelsea and Aston Villa over alleged financial breach

Barcelona won a league and cup double this season but went out of the Champions League in the semi-finals (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Times write that Chelsea and Villa's cases are both first-time breaches and that they are in talks with the UEFA's Club Financial Control Board to agree a 'financial settlement' - basically amounting to a fine.

Villa would appear to have quite straightforwardly breached the loss limit of €200m (£168.3m) over any three-year period, while Chelsea's issue is that UEFA do not recognise the s ale of their women's side to a sister company.

Eventual winners PSG knocked Villa out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals (Image credit: Getty Images)

In contrast, the Premier League did accept that transaction in assessing Chelsea's accounts for the purpose of their own profit and sustainability rules.

If previous case are anything to go by, Villa and Chelsea are likely to be given a financial slap on the wrists.

Barcelona were up on charges of wrongly reporting profits last year, relating to the 2022/23 season, and were fined €500,000 (£421,000), with the Court of Arbritration for Sport (CAS) decribing that as "actually relatively mild" in rejecting the club's appeal.

However, the fact that Barca have previous means they could be in line for a stronger punishment from UEFA this year.

Barcelona have been playing away from Camp Nou while it is under redevelopment (Image credit: PA)

UEFA's Club Financial Control Board had warned at the CAS hearing that Barcelona would face harsher disciplinary measures if they committed a similar breach in 2023/24.

The Times add that the punishments could include being hit with a smaller squad limit than other Champions League clubs in the competition next season.

A Champions League points deduction is also listed in UEFA's rules as a potential punishment, though they have never imposed one before.