Aston Villa owners accused of “taking advantage” – Questions being asked about ownership

Aston Villa ownership group V Sports has been accused of taking advantage of Portuguese club Vitoria by former presidential candidate Viriato Sampaio. Controlled by Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, V Sports holds a 29% minority stake in Vitoria as part of their multi-club network. Sampaio claimed V Sports is exploiting Vitoria's fragile financial state, raising concerns that the club could lose its traditional identity under the current arrangement.

Sampaio questioned the lack of clarity regarding player movements, loan agreements, and financial returns between the clubs. V Sports originally acquired a 46% stake in February 2023, but reduced it to 29% later that year to comply with UEFA rules after both clubs qualified for the 2023-24 Europa Conference League.