Change at Real Mallorca?

Real Mallorca is for sale again! Majority shareholder Lorenzo Serra Ferrer and Club Chairman Jaume Cladera are trying to sell their shares to a private foreign investment fund. The two have already sold some shares to a Madrid based financial firm but they are looking to off-load the remainder of their stakes. Now this could leave the door open for German shareholder Utz Classen, who already owns 20 percent of the club, to launch a takeover bid. I have met Classen and he appears to have some good ideas for the club, like trying to attract foreign tourists to the Iberostar stadium. But Classen is involved in a legal dispute with Serra and Cladera after he was allegedly over-charged for a 10 percent stake in the club. He then bought a further 10 percent from the family of tennis ace Rafa Nadal. It is a great pity that Mallorca´s off-the-pitch problems continue to cloud its good performance on the pitch. But the club has serious financial problems and these need to be resolved sooner rather than later. A new owner could bring money for new players which are badly needed. Mallorca obviously has great potential; a Spanish first division club on a leading holiday island. Mallorca must try and attract more visiting tourists to its ground. This is the way forward. At the moment the club receives barely 10'000 spectators for home matches. This is an absolute disgrace. Football and the club should play a key role in Majorca´s tourist industry.