MIAMI, United States. — The Cuban-American billionaire Jorge Mas Santos will be one of the new shareholders of the Spanish soccer club Real Zaragoza, as announced by that sports entity in a release.
The club reported this Friday that 51% of the capital stock of the SAD (Sports Corporation) will pass into the hands of a group of investors, including Jorge Mas Santos, who is also the managing owner of the Inter Miami CF team of the Major League Soccer (MLS).
“Today is an important day in the history of Real Zaragoza. A new stage begins with the commitment to work for the goal of our club competing again in the place it deserves for its record and fans,” the club said on its official website.
In addition to Jorge Mas Santos and his brother José R. Santos, the group of investors includes Joseph Oughourlian, Gustavo Serpa, Jim Carpenter and Jim Miller.
Real Zaragoza points out that the agreement is subject to two specific conditions: the club’s permanence in the Second Division of Spain (LaLiga SmartBank) this season and the authorization of the operation by the Higher Sports Council of the Iberian nation.
“The arrival of the new investment group will entail a reduction in debt that will allow a short-term investment to be made to increase the workforce cost limit imposed by LaLiga’s financial control, in order to improve the competitiveness of the first team, as well as a renovation of the infrastructures that improve the experience of our fans”, indicated Real Zaragoza.
The entity highlights that the objective of the operation is “to make Real Zaragoza a club with better resources and greater potential when it comes to growing both at an institutional and sporting level”.
The statement makes it clear that Real Zaragoza is and will continue to be the heritage of Aragon and ensures that the new project will have maximum respect for the memory of the entity and its Aragonese roots, “where the local links that the organization already has will be maintained and strengthened.” entity, in addition to working on the internationalization of the club and with it the city”.
On letter addressed to the Zaragoza fans, Mas Santos promised commitment and maximum effort on the part of the new board to move the club forward.
“We know the current situation of the club, but also your love for these colors. I can only promise you work and effort. Effort in time and capital. We have spent months designing a plan and a roadmap. As soon as the Higher Sports Council grants us the mandatory authorization, we are going to make an initial investment aimed at acquiring a majority share package that guarantees management stability and reduces part of the club’s debt, which weighs it down and prevents it from having a team with enough economic and sports potential to be able to think about the long-awaited promotion to the First Division,” said the 63-year-old businessman, current president of the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF).
Founded in 1932, Real Zaragoza represents the city of Zaragoza, in Aragon, and is considered one of the clubs with the longest tradition in Spanish football. The entity exhibits in its showcases six Copa del Rey titles —the last one won against Real Madrid in 2004—, a Spanish Super Cup and an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (predecessor of the UEFA Cup and the current UEFA Europe League).
The most important title won by the club was the 1995 European Cup Winners’ Cup, in which they defeated England’s Arsenal with a score of two goals for one.
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