The group that owns Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar Sports Investments, has now acquired 22% of the Portuguese SC Braga, valued at around 90 million euros, according to sources close to the deal, thanks to the expected future television rights deal. agree in the Portuguese country in the coming years.
It is "a long-term investment", explained the firm, to try to stand up to the three historical great clubs of Portugal, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon and Porto: "For a long time it has been overshadowed by the 'big three', but Braga has the potential for both financial and sporting growth”, they add.
Established in 1921, Braga's men's and women's teams compete in the top tier of the Portuguese football league. The men's team, currently third in the standings, is competing in this season's Europa League and has Spaniard Abel Ruiz in its squad. The Valencian footballer was a youth player for FC Barcelona, with whom he made his debut with the first team in 2018.
Braga have also qualified for the Champions League only twice and never got past the group stage. "As an investor and partner, we look forward to seeing the club further innovate, grow and develop, in the men's and women's teams, and in all the communities and businesses it supports," QSI President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said in a statement. release.
This acquisition will become the second in the world of football after that of PSG in 2011, although the Qatari group had previously attempted similar operations in the United Kingdom. In 2019 he tried to get a share of Leeds United, when it was in the second division.
PSG, under QSI, has grown from a local French club to a multibillion-dollar global giant and branched out into handball, judo and esports, according to the statement from the Saudi business group. PSG has also become "a leading lifestyle brand" and has collaborated with global fashion designers like Christelle Kocher, music legends like the Rolling Stones and has an exclusive collaboration with Jordan, as part of its partnership with Nike.
The trend of multi-club ownership is gaining momentum globally, with 196 teams now belonging to broader football groups, according to CIES. City Football Group is setting the pace and now owns 10 clubs, including English champions Manchester City. Red Bull backs a group that includes Salzburg and Leipzig, and the Miami-based 777 is expanding its presence with clubs like Genoa and Red Star Paris. Also, the 777 bought a stake in the Melbourne Victory last week.
