M'Baye Niang out of AC Milan's UEFA Champions League squad due to clerical error

M’Baye Niang will have to watch from the sidelines as AC Milan negotiate the Champions League group stage (Getty Images)

AC Milan‘s 18-year-old striker M’Baye Niang is out of their 25 man UEFA Champions League group stage squad after a paperwork error by a club official, says ESPN.

The club finalised their squad for the first round of the competition, but Niang will miss out after fellow Rossoneri striker Stephan El Shaarawy was named as an ‘A list’ player even though he qualifies as a ‘B list’ player according to UEFA regulation.

Niang has been in Italy and at AC Milan for one year, and as such, must be placed on the ‘A list’. El Sharaawy has been at the club for two years and spent his entire youth career in Italy and qualifies for a ‘B list’ spot.

AC Milan director placed El Sharaawy in the ‘A list’ by mistake and now M’baye Niang will have to sit out as his team play Barcelona, Ajax and Celtic.

“Umberto Gandini, director of the AC Milan organisation, assumes the responsibility for the error in the compilation of the Champions League lists for not having taken into account in the drafting of such legislation that UEFA allows the inclusion of players born after January 1, 1992 with at least two years of experience at the club between the ages of 15 and 21 in the B List,” a statement on the club’s official website read.

“Umberto Gandini regrets this error and apologises to all parties concerned, as well as professionally to the Rossoneri fans.”

AC Milan’s first European match will be against Celtic at the San Siro on September 18th.