November 25 – In a sign of the club’s financial difficulties, Belgian second-division club Deinze fielded a junior team in their 3-0 home defeat against Francs Borains, as elite players refused to play due to unpaid wages.
On Saturday, Deinze’s first-team players boycotted the match over the unpaid wages, parts of the stadium were closed, and their young replacements, thrown in at the deep end. They were no match for the visitors from Wallonia.
Last week, the club was penalised with a three-point deduction for failing to meet its financial obligations following a takeover by AAD Invest Group. In a statement, the club said that AAD Invest Group is set to receive €75 million in capital from its various investments, with at least €6 million earmarked for Deinze.
The club is struggling with a debt of €3 million, but AAD Invest Group has pledged short-term credit to address Deinze’s financial issues.
However, the first-team players issued an ultimatum to receive payment by November 15.
They accused the former owners, ACA Partners, of lying, and in an open letter, detailed some of the challenges they faced. “Some of us even had to come to the club by train or bus. In addition, we had to pay for the apartments provided by the club out of our own pockets,” said the letter.
After ACA Partners from Singapore exited, the club was on the brink of bankruptcy until Luxembourg’s AAD Invest Group was announced as the new owner on November 6.
While the terms of the deal remain undisclosed, 28-year-old Celine Mawet, formerly the club’s press officer, was appointed as the new CEO.
“In discussions with the club’s staff and local players, I witnessed a strong determination to save Deinze, which motivated me to back this rescue effort,” said Doudou Cissé, CEO of AAD Invest Group.
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