Cyrille de la Morinerie 10:33 a.m., January 06, 2023
As the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France begin, professional clubs will for some face amateur teams.
At 9 p.m. this Friday, supporters will face Châteauroux, who plays nationally, and PSG.
A huge gap between the two formations that tries to fill the Berrichonne, now owned by a wealthy Saudi owner.
Almost two years ago, the Berrichonne of Châteauroux made its revolution.
The 25 shareholders at the time gave way to a wealthy Saudi prince whose fortune is estimated at more than 200 million euros.
It is neither more nor less than one of the grandsons of the founder of Saudi Arabia, Abdellah Bin Mossad.
The heir got rich by setting up a paper manufacturing business and is a football fan.
Indeed, he owns several clubs, managed from Geneva, including Châteauroux.
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A club "with potential and well managed"
"We have reached an agreement with United World, which is a Saudi group which owns five clubs in the world, including three in Europe: Sheffield United which plays in England in the second division, a Belgian club at the top of the second division, and Châteauroux", details the non-executive president of the Calsteroussain club, Michel Denisot.
"What interests this group are clubs with potential and well managed, which was our case," he adds.
But this Saudi prince invests bit by bit.
Nothing to do with PSG, owned by a state, Qatar, or Troyes held like Manchester City via an Emirati fund.
Châteauroux, 14th in the third division is still very far from the objective displayed by Abdellah Bin Mossad: to find the elite of French football in two years.
In the meantime, Michel Denisot, who also chaired PSG will anyway be behind the red and blue for the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France.
Obviously, since it is the color worn by the two clubs.