Villarreal to replace Mallorca in the UEFA Europa League

Spanish club Villarreal have been informed by Europe's football governing body UEFA that they will replace fellow Primera Division club Real Mallorca in the Europa League in 2010-11.

Villarreal announced on their official website on Friday that UEFA have sent them a letter in which they have said that they will replace the Islanders in the European competition. Mallorca were disqualified from the Europa League on Thursday by UEFA, who stated that financial factors were the reasons for the expulsion of the Balearic club.
 

The official statement on the UEFA site regarding Mallorca:

The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has ruled that Spanish club RCD Mallorca does not meet the necessary admission criteria for participating in the 2010/11 UEFA club competitions.

At its meeting last Thursday in Nyon, the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body decided that the Spanish club RCD Mallorca is not admitted to the UEFA club competitions for the 2010/11 season.

On the basis of all expert reviews which have been undertaken, the Control and Disciplinary Body ruled that the club does not fulfil the necessary admission criteria (Article 2.07 of the Regulations of the UEFA Europa League), as the licence of the club was not granted in accordance with the UEFA Club Licensing Regulations, 2008 edition, and the club has not fulfilled its obligations as defined in these regulations.