Lorenzo Sanz
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo Sanz Mancebo is a Spanish
businessman, former president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
and former owner of Málaga Club de Fútbol
, where his son Fernando
(a former player with Real Madrid and Málaga) served as club's president.
was forced to resign due to the economic, social, and sporting problems of the club. Sanz tried to turn the club around by bringing in star players like Davor Šuker
and Predrag Mijatović
with his own money. This led to a long awaited European Cup
victory, which Real Madrid had not won since 1966, as the club clinched both the 1998 and 2000 tournaments, now named the UEFA Champions League.
However, the two UEFA Champions League triumphs were not enough to hide the financial problems that still plagued the club and in elections a few weeks after the 2000 final, he lost the presidency to Florentino Pérez
.
in Amministrazione Straordinaria to become the club's new owner. Guido Angiolini and Enrico Bondi, the two officers appointed by the Italian government to restore Parma, and its main sponsor Parmalat
, were the two persons involved in the operations with Sanz. The first time Parma announced negotiations with Sanz was in August 2005. Both President Guido Angiolini and government-appointed administrator Enrico Bondi asked for €27.5 million, but the negotiations were not as smooth as some predicted.
Until January 2006, the Sanz family was still transacting business with Bondi and Angiolini, but to no avail. In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport in January 2006, President Angiolini stated that, "If, by the 16th, the deal with the Sanz family has not been closed, we will set about finding a new buyer." Sanz has seemed the most likely buyer of the club since last August when he made an initial payment of €7.5 million ($9.07 million) on the full price of €27.5 million. However, he has not yet paid the outstanding €20 million. Parma administrators stated that after 16 January 2006, the club is free to find other interested buyers as the conract with Sanz expired on 15 January 2006. Other interested buyers include the owner of Spain's Alamak Espana Trade, Russian oligarch Abram Reznikov. The uncertainty over the club's future has become a source of increasing frustration for Parma supporters. The deal with Sanz was a big dilemma for Parma supporters. In some papers, this deal was referred to as "The never ending story." Parma supporters were longing for a positive ending. Sanz visited Parma a couple of times, and he even turned up at the Stadio Ennio Tardini
to follow some of Parma's matches in Serie A
. Because of his withdrawal from the deal and failure to pay the rest of the sum of €20.5 million, Lorenzo Sanz Senior and Lorenzo Sanz Junior lost much of their credibility.
.
On July 2006, Sanz purchased Málaga Club de Fútbol
. He sold the club in 2010 to an Qatar
ian investor.
In May 2008, it has been reported that he is looking to buy Italian club Associazione Sportiva Bari
, and that the Bari owners have given him 10 days to close the deal, which is rumored to be around €15 million.
On September 2008, he was briefly jailed charged of fraud by a bank after trying to get paid a fake cheque. The complaint was withdrawn on December 2008.
On 11 November 2009, it was reported by Spanish newspaper El Pais that Sanz was arrested trying to smuggle artwork
out of Spain.
, who married his daughter Malula.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
businessman, former president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and former owner of Málaga Club de Fútbol
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
, where his son Fernando
Fernando Sanz
Fernando Sanz Durán is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a central defender.He spent seven years of his professional career with Málaga - after starting out at Real Madrid - appearing in more than 250 official games...
(a former player with Real Madrid and Málaga) served as club's president.
Early life
In his youth, Sanz played as a goalkeeper for several minor league Madrilenian teams, including Puerta Bonita. An astute businessman, he made his fortune in real estate and construction.Real Madrid President
Sanz was director of Real Madrid from 1985 to 1995. He became chairman of Real Madrid on 26 November 1995 after Ramón MendozaRamón Mendoza
Ramón Mendoza was a Spanish lawyer and business man, most famous for his stint as football chairman of Real Madrid from 1985 until 1995. He was born in Madrid, Spain....
was forced to resign due to the economic, social, and sporting problems of the club. Sanz tried to turn the club around by bringing in star players like Davor Šuker
Davor Šuker
Davor Šuker , is a retired Croatian footballer. He played as a striker for a number of European clubs as well as the Croatian national team, where he is the all-time top goal scorer with 45 goals....
and Predrag Mijatović
Predrag Mijatovic
Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović is a Montenegrin football player and former sports director of Real Madrid. He is considered one of Yugoslavia's best players of the 1990s. He was acclaimed as the best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1997...
with his own money. This led to a long awaited European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
victory, which Real Madrid had not won since 1966, as the club clinched both the 1998 and 2000 tournaments, now named the UEFA Champions League.
However, the two UEFA Champions League triumphs were not enough to hide the financial problems that still plagued the club and in elections a few weeks after the 2000 final, he lost the presidency to Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez Rodríguez is a Spanish businessman, civil engineer, former politician, and current president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, as well as ACS...
.
Negotiations with Parma
Between June 2005 and January 2006, Sanz was negotiating with Parma Football ClubParma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
in Amministrazione Straordinaria to become the club's new owner. Guido Angiolini and Enrico Bondi, the two officers appointed by the Italian government to restore Parma, and its main sponsor Parmalat
Parmalat
Parmalat SpA is a multinational Italian dairy and food corporation. Having become the leading global company in the production of ultra high temperature milk, the company collapsed in 2003 with a €14 billion hole in its accounts in what remains Europe's biggest bankruptcy...
, were the two persons involved in the operations with Sanz. The first time Parma announced negotiations with Sanz was in August 2005. Both President Guido Angiolini and government-appointed administrator Enrico Bondi asked for €27.5 million, but the negotiations were not as smooth as some predicted.
Until January 2006, the Sanz family was still transacting business with Bondi and Angiolini, but to no avail. In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport in January 2006, President Angiolini stated that, "If, by the 16th, the deal with the Sanz family has not been closed, we will set about finding a new buyer." Sanz has seemed the most likely buyer of the club since last August when he made an initial payment of €7.5 million ($9.07 million) on the full price of €27.5 million. However, he has not yet paid the outstanding €20 million. Parma administrators stated that after 16 January 2006, the club is free to find other interested buyers as the conract with Sanz expired on 15 January 2006. Other interested buyers include the owner of Spain's Alamak Espana Trade, Russian oligarch Abram Reznikov. The uncertainty over the club's future has become a source of increasing frustration for Parma supporters. The deal with Sanz was a big dilemma for Parma supporters. In some papers, this deal was referred to as "The never ending story." Parma supporters were longing for a positive ending. Sanz visited Parma a couple of times, and he even turned up at the Stadio Ennio Tardini
Stadio Ennio Tardini
Stadio Ennio Tardini, commonly referred to as just Il Tardini, is a football stadium in Parma, Italy, located near the centre of Parma, between the town centre and the city walls. It is currently the home of Parma F.C.. The stadium was built in 1923 and was named after one of Parma's former...
to follow some of Parma's matches in Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
. Because of his withdrawal from the deal and failure to pay the rest of the sum of €20.5 million, Lorenzo Sanz Senior and Lorenzo Sanz Junior lost much of their credibility.
Later years
Sanz has recently announced that he will put himself up for election once again for the vacant President's position at Real Madrid, losing it to Ramón CalderónRamón Calderón
José Ramón Calderón Ramos is a lawyer and an ex-President of Spanish sports club Real Madrid.-Life and career:...
.
On July 2006, Sanz purchased Málaga Club de Fútbol
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
. He sold the club in 2010 to an Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
ian investor.
In May 2008, it has been reported that he is looking to buy Italian club Associazione Sportiva Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
, and that the Bari owners have given him 10 days to close the deal, which is rumored to be around €15 million.
On September 2008, he was briefly jailed charged of fraud by a bank after trying to get paid a fake cheque. The complaint was withdrawn on December 2008.
On 11 November 2009, it was reported by Spanish newspaper El Pais that Sanz was arrested trying to smuggle artwork
Work of art
A work of art, artwork, art piece, or art object is an aesthetic item or artistic creation.The term "a work of art" can apply to:*an example of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture*a fine work of architecture or landscape design...
out of Spain.
Trivia
Sanz is the father-in-law of former Real Madrid and Spanish defender Míchel SalgadoMíchel Salgado
Miguel Ángel "Míchel" Salgado Fernández is a Spanish footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League, as a right defender.Nicknamed Il Due , he is known for his combative tackling and attacking play...
, who married his daughter Malula.