Football Thread

[Sebastianus Rex]

I predict that if things don't change radicaly, in 10 years one of the Big Three here in Portugal will be sold to a private owner.

Not that easy. Like in Germany, there's the 51%-49% rule, meaning the club has to be the main shareholder. Besides I don't think the Portuguese football market is attractive to millionaire investors, realistically nobody sees the Portuguese league.

[Sebastianus Rex]

I thought Oporto and Benfica, no idea about Sporting de Lisboa, already belonged to a private owner.

No, the Portuguese model doesn't allow that, the club has to be the main shareholder (51% plus), the rest is split among many investors or sócios that bought shares. One Chinese or Arab can not arrive and just buy the club, it is impossible because the club (voted by sócios) has always the majority and even if an investor bought the all 49% shares available on the market (which is virtually impossible because many sócios shareholders simply wouldn't sell) , they would risk not controlling the club, a different/hostile president could always be elected.

The German model is also similar, not at all like in England etc.

[Cristiano viejo]

I don't think the Portuguese football market is attractive to millionaire investors, realistically nobody sees the Portuguese league.

That is irrelevant since most of these investors do it to whiten their businesses.

Do you think the seikh that owns Málaga CF bought the club "because many people see the Málaga games"?
He even asked to the Málaga city hall for fiscal and tax aid for a possible new business of him in the port of Málaga threatening with moving the club to another city if they did not help him...

[Sebastianus Rex]

That is irrelevant since most of these investors do it to whiten their businesses.

Do you think the seikh that owns Málaga CF bought the club "because many people see the Málaga games"?
He even asked to the Málaga city hall for fiscal and tax aid for a possible new business of him in the port of Málaga threatening with moving the club to another city if they did not help him...

Yes, that could be the case, those kind of investors are just parasites and bring nothing to the clubs, they may left them in the ruin like they did with Málaga. Anyway Portuguese clubs make most of their money from selling players from the academies, investors wouldn't add anything to change that reality and therefore the clubs don't need them as long they keep producing good young players.

[Cernunnos]

Not that easy. Like in Germany, there's the 51%-49% rule, meaning the club has to be the main shareholder. Besides I don't think the Portuguese football market is attractive to millionaire investors, realistically nobody sees the Portuguese league.

No, clubs are not obligated to maintain their 51% rule on the corporate part of the club that controls football (SAD), you can sell the majority of any SAD to a private owner but you have to call a General Assembly for the associates/sócios to approve that or not. There are other less "orthodox methods" (to not say borderline illegal) to sell a club to a private owner but that can't even be proven most of the times.

There are already several clubs in Portugal who are owned by a private owner, I remember instantly Famalicão and Alverca.

As for the "Atractiveness" of the Portuguese League, that doesn't matter much, what is not lacking in this world is rich people ready to buy any business to launder their money.

[Sebastianus Rex]

No, clubs are not obligated to maintain their 51% rule on the corporate part of the club that controls football (SAD), you can sell the majority of any SAD to a private owner but you have to call a General Assembly for the associates/sócios to approve that or not. There are other less "orthodox methods" (to not say borderline illegal) to sell a club to a private owner but that can't even be proven most of the times.

There are already several clubs in Portugal who are owned by a private owner, I remember instantly Famalicão and Alverca.

As for the "Atractiveness" of the Portuguese League, that doesn't matter much, what is not lacking in this world is rich people ready to buy any business to launder their money.

That's the whole point, in a big club I don't see the sócios voting for the club losing the control...in small clubs it's possible because there's barely any sócios.

[Cristiano viejo]

Luka Modric was asked which middlefield group has been better, if Iniesta-Xavi-Busquets or himself-Kross-Casemiro. He did not answer.
What do you think, guys?

[hmaohma78]

Luka Modric was asked which middlefield group has been better, if Iniesta-Xavi-Busquets or himself-Kross-Casemiro. He did not answer.
What do you think, guys?

Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets were the better Trio. Vital part of not only Barcelona, but Spain success.

[Cristiano viejo]

Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets were the better Trio. Vital part of not only Barcelona, but Spain success.

But that is not fair, Kroos, Casemiro and Modric dont belong to the same country to judge such thing.

[hmaohma78]

But that is not fair, Kroos, Casemiro and Modric dont belong to the same country to judge such thing.

Still I consider Xavi and Iniesta Generational players. While on the Madrid trio Only Modrić would be considered a generational player.