Unveiling the Mastermind: Sheikh Mansour's Impact on Manchester City and Girona FC

It has been among the most amazing football tales of our time. When Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan acquired Manchester City on September 1, 2008, the English game and the club underwent a permanent transformation.

A string of promotions and relegations characterised City's stuttering between levels between 1996 and 2003. But true optimism came in 2007 when former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra bought a 75% share in the team for £81.6 million and appointed former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson as manager.

Being involved in allegations of corruption back in Thailand, Shinawatra arrived with a dubious reputation that would eventually haunt him.

Taking Over The City

The United Arab Emirates sheikhs hold the football conglomerate City Football Group, which is valued more than 25 billion Riyals. Sheikh Mansour started his football career in 2008 when he bought Manchester City, primarily to control European football.

19 championships is an amazing haul for City, who spent more than €1 billion on player purchases and hired elite coaches. Manchester City's significant purchasing power was unaffected by the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, which are intended to control football spending.

The squad was so accused of more than 100 offences, and a two-year ban from European tournaments was a real possibility. All the same, the squad challenged the penalties. The organisation also faces accusations of sportswashing, which is the use of sports to hide, obscure, or divert attention from the actions of the UAE governments. This is basically what the investors in the team wanted to hide from the outside world. It did not, however, stop them from becoming the world's best football team. 

The consortium appointed former Barcelona vice president Ferran Soriano as the club's CEO after their big achievement in acquiring Manchester City. What started out as an approach to rule European football became an ambition to rule football globally. As Soriano had said, the sheikhs were very happy with the prospect of making Manchester City a global brand.

The project included buying a lot of clubs throughout the world, identifying the best young players, developing their talents, and ultimately moving them up to the most well-known teams in the network, including City. 

Soccer Empire of Sheikh Mansour

Apart from being the owner of Manchester City, Sheikh Mansour, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, is also the main motivation behind the City Football Group (CFG). A worldwide network of football teams, CFG was founded in 2014 and includes Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, Mumbai City FC, and others. Manchester City was turned into a football superpower after Mansour bought the team in 2008.

Growing Girona FC Under CFG

Another gem in the crown of CFG is Girona FC, who is now vying for the La Liga championship. In 2017, the CFG bought 44.3% of Girona; as of right now, that number has risen to 47%. This interest is shared by the Girona Football Group, which is headed by Pere Guardiola, the brother of Pep Guardiola.

Genius of Finance and Strategy

Sheikh Mansour's strategy is a calculated global spread of football interests, not only financial strength. His investments combine his love of the game with a sharp sense of commercial possibilities. This has made it possible for CFG teams to gain from a single football philosophy, player development, and pooled resources.

Impact on Manchester City and Girona FC

Manchester City has advanced to the elite of European football under Sheikh Mansour and is often vying for both national and European championships. Girona FC's rise in La Liga, which has seen the team have one of its finest starts ever and take on Spanish heavyweights like Barcelona and Real Madrid, is also evidence of the efficient use of CFG's resources and footballing philosophy.

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