Latest news with #Valladolid
New York Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Ronaldo agrees to sell majority stake in Spanish club Real Valladolid
Former striker Ronaldo has agreed to sell his stake in Spanish club Real Valladolid but the deal has yet to be confirmed by the Spanish government's CSD authority. Ignite, a consortium headed by businessman Gabriel Solares and comprised of investors from the United States and Mexico, has agreed to buy Ronaldo's majority stake in the club, who were relegated from La Liga this season. Advertisement Solares was previously president of Mexican club Queretaro, but was among the club's board of directors who received five-year bans from Liga MX in 2022. As reported by ESPN at the time, the bans related to fan violence Queretaro's match against visiting Atlas at Estadio Corregidora, which had left 26 injured. Tel Aviv-based investment fund Ben Oldman Partners is also involved in the deal — it would receive a percentage of Ronaldo's current 88 per cent stake of Valladolid, equal to the money the fund is still owed from helping finance the Brazilian's initial takeover of the club in September 2018. Speaking to El Norte de Castilla, Solares highlighted Valladolid's 'potential for growth' alongside its existing 'resources and characteristics to establish itself as a top division club'. Solares added that he would seek to include locals from Valladolid on the new-look board, should his acquisition be completed: 'We must respect the city and give prominence to people who know the area.' Ronaldo's time in charge of Valladolid has been turbulent, with relegations from La Liga in 2021, 2023 and 2025, interspersed with promotions in 2022 and 2024. Ronaldo's sale of the club was announced on Friday by Valladolid but few details were made public. On Tuesday the club sent a letter to their fans asking for 'patience' and 'understanding' as the deal was concluded. The letter was signed by club director general Luis Garcia. Ronaldo himself has not spoken about the sale, and his staff declined to comment when contacted by The Athletic. The 48-year-old former Brazil international, who starred in La Liga for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, became the majority shareholder of Valladolid in September 2018 after purchasing a 51 per cent stake in the Spanish side. In December 2021, the former Ballon d'Or winner bought a controlling 90 per cent stake at Cruzeiro, the Brazilian second-division club where he started his career, for $70million (£62.2m). Advertisement In April 2024, Ronaldo sold his stake in Cruzeiro, who returned to Brazil's Serie A under his ownership, to the BPW Sports company, led by Pedro Lourenco — owner of the supermarket chain Supermercados BH. Valladolid have picked up just 16 points from their 37 league matches this term and were relegated from Spain's top flight with five matchdays remaining. The club finished 16 points behind second-from-bottom Las Palmas, who have also been relegated, and finished the campaign on a goal difference of -64. (Top image:)
Hans India
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Espanyol stays up, Leganes down in La Liga
Rome: Espanyol will remain in La Liga for another season while Leganes suffers the heartbreak of relegation to the Spanish second division after a tense round of matches on Saturday. Leganes goes down with 40 points from 38 games despite a 3-0 win at home to Valladolid on a day when the club was temporarily out of the bottom three at halftime when Javi Hernandez, Yan Diomande and Juan Cruz had put the team 3-0 ahead. Espanyol was drawing 0-0 at home to Las Palmas, but the future of the Barcelona based outfit was in its own hands, with a win meaning the result in Leganes was irrelevant, reports Xinhua. Javi Puado scored the opening goal for Espanyol from the penalty spot with 25 minutes left to play, and Pere Milla sealed Espanyol's survival and Leganes' relegation along with Valladolid and Las Palmas, with a second goal eight minutes from time. Celta Vigo went into its game away to Getafe knowing a win would assure seventh place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League, and despite falling behind to Borja Mayoral's opening goal, Borja Iglesias leveled before halftime, with veteran striker Iago Aspas scoring the goal that sent the club back to Europe 10 minutes from time. Celta's win meant neither Rayo Vallecano nor Osasuna could qualify for the Europa League, with Rayo's 0-0 draw booking it a place in the playoff for the Conference League, while Osasuna drew 1-1 away to Alaves and misses out on head-to-head goal difference. Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Real Madrid won 2-0 at home to Real Sociedad in Carlo Ancelotti's last game as coach and Luka Modric's last appearance at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Ancelotti and Modric received a warm send-off from the fans in the Bernabeu, while Mbappe moved closer to the Golden Boot award with his two goals in a game that had nothing at stake.
Malay Mail
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
How Ronaldo's La Liga ownership foray turned sour in Valladolid
VALLADOLID, May 25 — Seven years after taking over Real Valladolid, Brazil great Ronaldo's venture into La Liga's boardrooms has ended in fiasco with three relegations and a fan revolt against their absentee president. 'Everything has been lies and negligence from almost the first day,' fumed Valladolid fan Daniel Mozo, a 53-year-old electrician. 'Better for him to leave, carry on with his life and leave us in peace,' he told AFP outside the club's Jose Zorrilla stadium before its final La Liga game for at least a year. Former striker Ronaldo, 48, became majority shareholder at Valladolid in 2018, vowing to take the modest club to Europe within five years. A stellar playing career — crowned by two Ballon d'Or trophies, two World Cups and silverware at Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan — had fans dreaming of glory. But far from sprinkling stardust, his tenure saw the team yo-yo between La Liga and Spain's second tier before he finally agreed to relinquish control. After relegations in 2021 and 2023, this season Valladolid have endured one of the most abject campaigns in Spanish top-flight history, bottom with 29 defeats and 87 goals conceded with one game to play. 'This year has been a disgrace... we thought he would be the president to do something for us, and what he has done is make a fool of himself,' said supporter Sergio Gutierrez. 'He thought that, because he was Ronaldo, this would go upwards. He believed that without doing anything he would win everything — but in the end, nothing,' added Gutierrez, a 44-year-old driver. According to an indignant Maria del Carmen de las Fuentes, a 66-year-old retiree, Ronaldo 'has done nothing — not even fix the toilets'. 'I have never seen Real Valladolid as I have this year... We have seen games that made you feel like going onto the pitch and giving them all (the players) a kick in the balls.' 'Ronaldo, go home!' Beyond the dire results, Ronaldo became a toxic figure among fans for rarely attending games and involving himself little in day-to-day affairs. Their frustration was exacerbated by recent images published in Spanish media of a seemingly tipsy Ronaldo stumbling out of a Madrid restaurant late at night and slumping into a car. Earlier this month, the federation of supporters' clubs submitted a petition to Valladolid town hall demanding that Ronaldo be symbolically declared persona non grata in the city northwest of Madrid. At a home game against Barcelona on May 3, fans protested the relegation by tossing around the stands fake banknotes bearing his face and the words 'Ronaldo go home'. The fury had not relented in the final home match of the season — a 1-0 defeat against struggling Alaves on May 18. Dozens of spectators unfurled 'Ronaldo Go Home' banners on the many empty seats and the entire ground bellowed the slogan during a hydration break. Sale agreed Ronaldo's chequered record in football administration saw him become in 2021 the majority shareholder of his first club, Cruzeiro, which then achieved promotion to the Brazilian top flight. But he has since sold his stake and launched an unsuccessful bid to head the Brazilian football confederation. Valladolid announced on Friday that Ronaldo was transferring his shares to a North American investment group with the financial backing of a European fund. For Valladolid supporter Andrea Merino, 'anything about Ronaldo leaving is good news, all the empty words he sold when he came have ended up being empty words'. Fans want someone 'who gets down to work, feels the club and does not leave us in the lurch like Ronaldo', the 25-year-old journalist told AFP. Rocio Mozo, a 40-year-old technical assistant, agreed Ronaldo had lost everyone's confidence and hoped for a new owner 'committed to the city, the club, someone who is interested, who is here'. Responding to a question by AFP after the Alaves loss, manager Alvaro Rubio — Valladolid's third this campaign — preferred not to discuss the administrative upheaval. 'The ultimate responsibility is mine' for the failure on the pitch, he said. — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
24-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Brazil great Ronaldo sells majority stake in Valladolid
Ronaldo bought a 51% stake in Valladolid in September 2018. (EPA Images pic) MADRID : Real Valladolid said yesterday Brazil great Ronaldo is selling his stake in the Spanish club to a North American investment company. 'The chairman of the board of directors and majority shareholder of Real Valladolid, Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, announces a deal has been signed for the transfer of a majority stake in the club to a North American investment group with the financial backing of a European fund,' said Valladolid in a statement. The club, relegated from La Liga after a dismal campaign, said more details will be made available in the near future and that the deal is subject to approval from the Spanish sports council. Fans had protested heavily against Ronaldo in recent weeks, begging for him to 'go home', with the team losing 29 of 37 league matches played this season. In September 2018 Ronaldo, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and 2002 as a player, bought a 51% stake in Valladolid. Ronaldo tried to modernise the club badge in 2022 but in 2024 reverted it back following widespread opposition. Valladolid were relegated to the second division in 2021, but bounced straight back, before the same thing happened again in 2023, with the club returning to the top tier for their disastrous 2024-25 campaign. Witness football history in Malaysia as Manchester United take on the Asean All-Stars – it's the clash you can't afford to miss. Book your seat now at before they're gone!
New Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
How Ronaldo's La Liga ownership foray turned sour in Valladolid
VALLADOLID: Seven years after taking over Real Valladolid, Brazil great Ronaldo's venture into La Liga's boardrooms has ended in fiasco with three relegations and a fan revolt against their absentee president. "Everything has been lies and negligence from almost the first day," fumed Valladolid fan Daniel Mozo, a 53-year-old electrician. "Better for him to leave, carry on with his life and leave us in peace," he told AFP outside the club's Jose Zorrilla stadium before its final La Liga game for at least a year. Former striker Ronaldo, 48, became majority shareholder at Valladolid in 2018, vowing to take the modest club to Europe within five years. A stellar playing career – crowned by two Ballon d'Or trophies, two World Cups and silverware at Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan – had fans dreaming of glory. But far from sprinkling stardust, his tenure saw the team yo-yo between La Liga and Spain's second tier before he finally agreed to relinquish control. After relegations in 2021 and 2023, this season Valladolid have endured one of the most abject campaigns in Spanish top-flight history, bottom with 29 defeats and 87 goals conceded with one game to play. "This year has been a disgrace... we thought he would be the president to do something for us, and what he has done is make a fool of himself," said supporter Sergio Gutierrez. "He thought that, because he was Ronaldo, this would go upwards. He believed that without doing anything he would win everything – but in the end, nothing," added Gutierrez, a 44-year-old driver. According to an indignant Maria del Carmen de las Fuentes, a 66-year-old retiree, Ronaldo "has done nothing – not even fix the toilets." "I have never seen Real Valladolid as I have this year... We have seen games that made you feel like going onto the pitch and giving them all (the players) a kick in the balls." Beyond the dire results, Ronaldo became a toxic figure among fans for rarely attending games and involving himself little in day-to-day affairs. Their frustration was exacerbated by recent images published in Spanish media of a seemingly tipsy Ronaldo stumbling out of a Madrid restaurant late at night and slumping into a car. Earlier this month, the federation of supporters' clubs submitted a petition to Valladolid town hall demanding that Ronaldo be symbolically declared persona non grata in the city northwest of Madrid. At a home game against Barcelona on May 3, fans protested the relegation by tossing around the stands fake banknotes bearing his face and the words "Ronaldo go home." The fury had not relented in the final home match of the season – a 1-0 defeat against struggling Alaves on May 18. Dozens of spectators unfurled "Ronaldo Go Home" banners on the many empty seats and the entire ground bellowed the slogan during a hydration break. Ronaldo's chequered record in football administration saw him become in 2021 the majority shareholder of his first club, Cruzeiro, which then achieved promotion to the Brazilian top flight. But he has since sold his stake and launched an unsuccessful bid to head the Brazilian football confederation. Valladolid announced on Friday that Ronaldo was transferring his shares to a North American investment group with the financial backing of a European fund. For Valladolid supporter Andrea Merino, "anything about Ronaldo leaving is good news, all the empty words he sold when he came have ended up being empty words." Fans want someone "who gets down to work, feels the club and does not leave us in the lurch like Ronaldo", the 25-year-old journalist told AFP. Rocio Mozo, a 40-year-old technical assistant, agreed Ronaldo had lost everyone's confidence and hoped for a new owner "committed to the city, the club, someone who is interested, who is here." Responding to a question by AFP after the Alaves loss, manager Alvaro Rubio – Valladolid's third this campaign – preferred not to discuss the administrative upheaval. "The ultimate responsibility is mine" for the failure on the pitch, he said. —AFP
