By Jaroslaw Adamowski
September 29 – Polish businessman Maciej Wandzel has acquired a 20% stake in Legia Warsaw from Dariusz Mioduski, the majority shareholder in the club, who now holds 60% of the shares.
Wandzel currently serves as the head of the supervisory board of the Ekstraklasa, the top tier of Poland’s professional football league. To date, the businessman has represented Legia’s rival club Lech Poznan in the body, but will now serve on the board as Legia’s representative. He is also the chief executive of investment fund Black Lion.
“I have been involved in football for a very long time, but this is something completely different,” Wandzel said. “I would like to help the club in its relations with the broad public sector and local administration.”
In his new role, Wandzel is to be also responsible for overseeing Legia’s business activities and relations with the club’s partners.
The amount of the latest transaction was not disclosed by the club. Mioduski and Boguslaw Lesnodorski, chief executive of Legia Warsaw and minority shareholder, acquired the side earlier this year from Polish media group ITI. Lesnodorski has a 20% stake in the Warsaw-based club.
On a related note, Wandzel’s son, Aleksander Wandzel, is a player with Legia Warsaw.
Legia Warsaw started the season well in the Champions League qualifiers before playing an unregistered player against Celtic in a tie they won 6-1 across the two legs, but with the second game subsequently awarded 3-0 against them forcing them out the competition on away goals. Legia had an appeal rejected but were still hoping for some financial compensation.
The club is competing in this year’s UEFA Europa League. They are the current Polish champions.
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