Leeds could be handed a bye into the semi-finals of the Champions League if their quarter-final opponents Deportivo La Coruna are punished for passport irregularities.
David O'Leary's men are set to face the Spanish champions in the first leg of their quarter-final tie in two weeks time, but UEFA could throw Deportivo out of the competition before then if the allegations are proved correct. A UEFA spokesman said, "We are monitoring this situation very closely. Normally an issue dealing with false documents is a matter for FIFA and the domestic leagues. But we will be looking at these findings very closely and if the allegations are as serious as we think they are, we will take appropriate action. At this stage, we have to leave our options open, but we cannot rule out the possibility of dismissing the club from the tournament."
If that happens, it is possible their next opponents, Leeds, will be allowed into the next round of the competition. There have been an increasing number of cases recently where foreign nationals have been getting around the need for a work permit by claiming European citizenship, through sometimes tenuous family links.
Filed by Pat Nugent
