The Independent says Messi "completes takeover" of Eldense; An-Nahar says the deal still awaits regulatory approval
Two reports published four minutes apart on 1 October disagree on whether Lionel Messi owns a second Spanish club yet. Neither gives a price.
The disagreement. The Independent's headline says Messi "completes takeover of second Spanish club this year". It adds that he "is now the majority shareholder" of second-tier CD Eldense. An-Nahar says the club announced the deal was done, but that the deal "still awaits regulatory approval".
| The Independent | An-Nahar | |
|---|---|---|
| Deal status | Complete, stated flat | Club announced completion; approval pending |
| Who says it is done | The outlet itself | Attributed to the club |
| Seller named | No | Yes: TH Soluciones S.A.S., a Colombian investment group |
| Price | Not given | Not given |
| Club's form | Not given | 19th, four defeats in seven |
An-Nahar does not stay consistent. Its report hedges twice. Then it says flatly that Messi "has become the majority owner" of a second Spanish club. One of our two blind readings flagged this; the other did not.
What only one report carries. Only An-Nahar names the seller. It says Messi agreed in September to buy all the shares held by TH Soluciones, the largest shareholder. Only An-Nahar gives Eldense's league position. We hold no second report that confirms either point.
What is not settled - Whether the regulator has approved the sale. Neither report names the regulator or gives a date. - What Messi paid. Neither report says. - How large his stake is. Both reports say "majority", but neither gives a percentage.
What this is about. Lionel Messi, the retired-from-Europe Argentine footballer, is buying a second club in Spain. The question is whether that sale has legally gone through yet.
How it got here. Messi spent most of his playing career at FC Barcelona, from his teens until 2021. He then played for Paris Saint-Germain and, since 2023, for Inter Miami in the United States. Like a number of star players, he has started investing in clubs as an owner.
An-Nahar reports that the first purchase came in April. Messi bought UE Cornellà, a club near Barcelona that plays in Spain's fifth tier. In September, by the same account, he agreed to buy every Eldense share held by TH Soluciones S.A.S., a Colombian investment group and the club's largest shareholder. In October the club announced that the takeover was complete.
Who the actors are. CD Eldense comes from Elda, in the province of Alicante, and was founded in 1921. It plays in Spain's second division, one level below La Liga. Spanish professional clubs are mostly run as public limited sports companies. Large changes in who owns them need official approval, which is the step An-Nahar says is still outstanding. Neither report names the body that has to give it.
What is at stake. If approval comes, one investor controls clubs at two levels of Spanish football. Ownership of lower-division clubs is concentrated among wealthy individuals and funds, and this would add another. For Eldense, An-Nahar puts the club 19th after four defeats in seven matches. That is the relegation zone, so the new owner arrives during a fight to stay in the division.
Where it stands. The club says the deal is done. One report treats that as fact. The other says the deal still waits on the regulator. Neither report gives a price or the size of the stake.
What is being argued about
- Whether Messi's purchase of CD Eldense is complete or still awaiting regulatory approval
- Who sold the stake: a Colombian investment group, named by only one report
- A second Spanish club in one year, after UE Cornellà in April
- Eldense's position near the bottom of Spain's second tier
Done deal, or waiting for the regulator: what each report saysSide by side
| Outlet | What it says about the deal | Hedged? | Seller named? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Independent | "Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year"; "Messi is now the majority shareholder" | No | No |
| An-Nahar | The club "officially announced" completion, but the deal "still awaits regulatory approval". Later says flatly that Messi "has become the majority owner". | Yes, then states majority ownership flat | Yes: TH Soluciones S.A.S. |
An-Nahar's quotes are translated from the Arabic. Neither report gives a price.
Sources
The Independent
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
An-Nahar
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The Independent
Centre-left
estimate · not a score
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
An-Nahar
Centre
estimate · not a score
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
From Cornellà to EldenseTimeline
- 1921— no time published CD Eldense Club foundedAn-Nahar
- April 2026— no time published Messi Buys UE Cornellà, a fifth-tier Spanish clubAn-Nahar
- September 2026— no time published Messi and TH Soluciones S.A.S. Messi agrees to buy all of the Colombian group's Eldense shares, pending regulatory stepsAn-Nahar only
- October 2026— no time published CD Eldense Club announces the takeover is completeAn-Nahar: approval still pending
- 1 Oct 202618:28 UTC publication time The Independent Reports the takeover as completeNo caveat
- 1 Oct 202618:32 UTC publication time An-Nahar Reports the deal as announced but still awaiting regulatory approvalEldense 19th in the second tier
Every event before 1 October comes from An-Nahar alone.
Sources
The Independent
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
An-Nahar
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The Independent
Centre-left
estimate · not a score
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
An-Nahar
Centre
estimate · not a score
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The bias in this coverageBias
Done deal, or awaiting approval
One report says the takeover is complete. The other says the club announced completion while approval is still pending, and then also calls Messi the majority owner. Neither gives a price.
1 reports noting regulatory approval is pending
0 reports giving a price
2 reports in the set
Scored without the mastheads. Where the two passes differ, both are kept.
Sources
The Independent
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
An-Nahar
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The Independent
Centre-left
estimate · not a score
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
An-Nahar
Centre
estimate · not a score
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
Claims and verdicts
disputed
Messi has completed his takeover of CD Eldense and is now its majority shareholder.
The Independent reports the takeover as complete and Messi as majority shareholder. An-Nahar says the club announced completion but the deal still awaits regulatory approval.
Checked against 2 sources:
The Independent
Centre-left
estimate · not a score
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
An-Nahar
Centre
estimate · not a score
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
unverified
Messi agreed to buy all the Eldense shares held by the Colombian investment group TH Soluciones S.A.S., the club's largest shareholder.
An-Nahar is the only report we hold that names the seller. The Independent does not say who sold the stake.
Checked against 1 source:
An-Nahar
Centre
estimate · not a score
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
unverified
Eldense is your 19th in Spain's second tier after four defeats in seven matches.
Only An-Nahar gives the club's league position and record. No other report we hold confirms them.
Checked against 1 source:
An-Nahar
Centre
estimate · not a score
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
Who wrote it
ا
المحرر الرياضي
An-Nahar
An-Nahar
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Actor named
Names the seller, a Colombian investment group×1
Caveat carried
Pending regulatory approval is stated, and the completion is attributed to the club's own announcement.×1
Figure given
Gives the club's league position as a number×1
Hedge
Says regulatory approval is still pending×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 disputed2 unverified
From 1070 reports we hold under this byline, at
An-Nahar. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating.
Their full record →
W
Will Castle
The Independent
The Independent
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Asserted vs attributed
Calls the 115 counts 'breaches', which states them as proven. The other reports call them charges.×1
Charge stated as fact
The 115 counts are called the club's 'breaches' in the report's own voice, not charges, while the same sentence says City was found guilty of only 'almost all' of them.×1
Completion stated flat
The headline and lede say the takeover is complete and Messi is the majority owner. They do not mention that regulatory approval is pending.×1
Stated flat
Gives majority ownership as settled×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 disputed
From 190 reports we hold under this byline, at
The Independent. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating.
Their full record →
The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting.
Coverage, outlet by outlet
An-Nahar
Centre
estimate · not a score
An-Nahar
🇱🇧LB ·
newspaper · independent
من كورنيا إلى إلدينسي... ميسي يوسّع حضوره في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at An-Nahar →
What we have measured
Accused named the accused is named and his age is given ×1Accused named names the accused and gives his age ×1A contested finding relayed with the case still the prime minister's claim carried, with the court proceedings noted in the same sentence ×1Active voice and a toll in the background paragraph, the July strikes get named actors and counted dead — the only counted dead in this story ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
— independentAttributes the completion to the club's own announcement and says regulatory approval is still needed. It names the seller, TH Soluciones S.A.S., and gives the club's league position.
لم تعد علاقة ليونيل ميسي بكرة القدم الإسبانية مرتبطة فقط بالسنوات التي قضاها لاعباً في الملاعب، بعدما بدأ النجم الأرجنتيني مرحلة جديدة من حضوره في إسبانيا من بوابة ملكية الأندية. فبعد انتقاله إلى عالم الاستثمار الرياضي، أصبح ميسي مرتبطاً بملكية ناديين إسبانيين ينافسان في درجتين مختلفتين، مع وصول تجربته الجديدة إلى محطة نادي سي.دي إلدينسي.ويأتي الاستحواذ على إلدينسي بعد أشهر قليلة من شراء نادي يو.إي كورنيا المنافس في دوري الدرجة الخامسة، في خطوة تعكس توسّع تجربة ميسي في ملكية الأندية الإسبانية. وبينما لا تزال صفقة إلدينسي تنتظر الموافقة التنظيمية، فإنّ النادي أعلن رسمياً إتمام عملية الاستحواذ،
Caveat carried: Pending regulatory approval is stated, and the completion is attributed to the club's own announcement. — “وبينما لا تزال صفقة إلدينسي تنتظر الموافقة التنظيمية، فإنّ النادي أعلن رسمياً إتمام عملية الاستحواذ”
Internal contradiction: The same report later states majority ownership flat, despite its own caveat. — “وبهذه الخطوة، أصبح ميسي مالك حصة الغالبية في نادٍ ثانٍ في إسبانيا”
Hedge: Says regulatory approval is still pending — “ورغم الإعلان عن إتمام الصفقة، لا تزال الموافقة التنظيمية مطلوبة قبل اكتمال العملية بصورة نهائية.”
Actor named: Names the seller, a Colombian investment group — “تي.إتش سولوسيونيس إس.إيه.إس”
Figure given: Gives the club's league position as a number — “فالنادي يحتل حالياً المركز التاسع عشر، بعدما تلقى أربع هزائم في سبع مباريات.”
Read it at An-Nahar →
https://www.annahar.com/sports/353350/من-كورنيا-إلى-إلدينسي-ميسي-يوسع-ح…
The Independent
Centre-left
estimate · not a score
The Independent
🇬🇧UK ·
digital · independent
Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year
Open this report in The AI Times →
Read it at The Independent →
What we have measured
Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1
Outlet profile in The AI Times →
— independentStates the takeover as finished and Messi as majority shareholder, with no mention of any approval still to come.
Sport Football Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year Messi is now the majority shareholder of second-tier side CD Eldense Will Castle Thursday 01 October 2026 19:28 BST Bookmark Comments Go to comments Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Lionel Messi has completed the takeover of CD Eldense (AP) Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Your support helps us to tell the story Read m
Completion stated flat: The headline and lede say the takeover is complete and Messi is the majority owner. They do not mention that regulatory approval is pending. — “Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year”
Stated flat: Says the takeover is complete and leaves out the pending regulatory approval — “Lionel Messi completes takeover of second Spanish club this year”
Stated flat: Gives majority ownership as settled — “Messi is now the majority shareholder of second-tier side CD Eldense”
Read it at The Independent →
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/lionel-messi-eldense-takeo…