Espanyol out to steal tourists from Barcelona as new president and Burnley chief outlines plan to turn club into Champions League contenders

The American ownership group behind Premier League side Burnley has finalized a majority takeover of La Liga club Espanyol, the Spanish outfit confirmed last Thursday. Velocity Sports Partners, headed by American businessman Pace, completed the acquisition in a deal reportedly worth up to €200 million (£173m/$233m), according to British media reports. The agreement brings an end to Chinese conglomerate Rastar Group’s nine-year tenure at the helm of the Barcelona-based club.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Pace said: "Success for me is being one of big six clubs [in Spain], that would be great, that's success, being in the top six," he said.

"If we can then win more than that, it would be a dream as well. If you have the mentality that our place is among [the big clubs], that we're equals to them, that's success. We want that change of mentality. We're not here to change Espanyol, but to help it grow with humility and to invest in the youth academy and infrastructure. But Espanyol must preserve its independence and its identity.

"My problem is my dreams are big. My dream is for everyone to realise this is a great club, a special part of Barcelona and the world of football. We have to show that there are some things here that aren't found elsewhere.

"My ambition will outlast me. If anything happens here, I would love for this club, any club that I am associated with, to win Champions League. But it's an ambition. It may happen long after I'm dead, but we have to put plans in place and change the mentality [for that to happen]. We want winners."

Espanyol are often overshadowed by their city rivals Barcelona, who are not just one of the biggest clubs in Spain, but in the world. Pace, however, wants Los Blanc-i-blaus to become a global brand. 

"Barca have grown thanks to people from outside Barcelona more than inside," he said. "The tourists that come, they are not necessarily Barca fans, they want to see the best football possible. A lot of tourists come here and they have to at least have an opportunity to get to know us, to visit us... and maybe can make them Pericos as well. But they have to know we are here.

"There are things to do in the city and around the world. It's not just about how we play or if we have the best players. I think there are many ways we can introduce this club to the world and grow in that way."

Being an owner of two clubs in Europe's big five leagues can sometimes come at a cost. Crystal Palace were relegated to the Conference League after UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body ruled that the club had missed the March deadline to place its ownership in a blind trust. The measure was deemed necessary due to then-shareholder John Textor’s involvement with French side Lyon, who had also qualified for the Europa League, raising concerns over a potential conflict of interest.

"Yes, because I know what we have to do," said the new Espanyol president . "I have to leave one of the clubs, if not both of them at the same time. There are plans in place about what we would have to do. We have been planning for a long time, we have advisors on top of everything."

Espanyol's first opponents under the new regime will be newly-promoted Real Oviedo, with the game set to be played on Friday. Espanyol are currently in ninth position on the La Liga table, just three points below the top four.