Lappí's Last Stand: 'We're Forgetting a Legacy' as Sevilla Sale Drama Continues
Antonio Lappí, leader of the 'Third Way' movement, reveals €320m bid for Sevilla FC while pleading for club stakeholders to reconsider selling to foreign investors.
Sevilla FC’s potential sale to foreign investors has taken another twist as local businessman Antonio Lappí makes an impassioned plea to keep the club in Spanish hands.
The €320m Bid That Nobody Answered
Lappí, the figurehead of the so-called ‘Third Way’ movement, has revealed he’s tabled a formal offer worth a whopping €320 million to the club’s family shareholders and Del Nido Benavente. Despite the eye-watering sum, he’s received no official response - a proper case of the tumbleweed treatment.
“Officially I haven’t received any response from the club or the families I’ve approached. I don’t know if this lack of response is the response itself,” Lappí explained after Sevilla’s General Shareholders’ Meeting.
What’s particularly interesting is Lappí’s mention that Monchi would be the second person involved in his project - a move that would surely have the Sevilla faithful doing cartwheels down Nervión.
More Than Just Money
The businessman’s argument boils down to a philosophical point about what Sevilla FC truly represents:
- He distinguishes between “value” and “price” - suggesting some things can’t be measured in euros
- Emphasizes the club as a “legacy” rather than just a financial asset
- Describes the current situation as “penoso” (painful/pitiful)
“The families are entitled to try to maximize value, but there’s a difference between value and price,” Lappí argues. “We’re forgetting about a legacy that exists beyond family assets.”
Reaching Out an Olive Branch
Rather than just lobbing in his bid and hoping for the best, Lappí seems genuinely open to finding a collaborative solution. He’s extended his hand to work with current stakeholders rather than against them.
“If we can redirect this so a sale doesn’t happen, I’m extending my hand,” he said. “I hope we can all come together on a project with a proper business plan and talent.”
He even referenced the 2002 situation when Del Nido Benavente and a group turned the club around, suggesting similar cooperation could work again.
What Next?
Lappí remains hopeful despite the radio silence from the club’s decision-makers. “I want to believe it’s not silence but an opportunity,” he said, maintaining his optimism in true Andalusian fashion.
For Sevilla supporters, the situation must feel like watching their club being flogged down the Roman Road. With foreign investors circling and family shareholders apparently keen to cash in, Lappí represents perhaps the last chance for local ownership.
Whether his €320m will be enough to tempt the shareholders remains to be seen - but his passion for preserving Sevilla’s “legacy” certainly struck a chord with supporters present at the meeting.