Ángel Torres (businessman)

Ángel Torres Sánchez (born 7 May 1952)[1] is a Spanish businessman, owner of Getafe CF since 2002.

Torres in 2018

Biography

Born in Recas, province of Toledo,[1] Torres lost his father to a traffic accident when he was 14, and was orphaned at 18. He moved to Getafe in the Community of Madrid and worked as a mechanic.[2] At Kelvinator, a freezer manufacturer, he lost his job while striking as a member of the Workers' Commissions (CCOO); he was also fired from a factory in Fuenlabrada in solidarity with another employee whose service was terminated.[3]

In the 1980s, Torres prospered in construction during a boom in the expansion of Madrid's commuter towns. He sold his interests in the industry in order to buy bars, bingo halls and nightclubs in one of those towns, Getafe. In 2002, the town's mayor, Pedro Castro Vázquez, convinced him to buy the football club Getafe CF.[4]

Upon finishing as runners-up in the 2003–04 Segunda División, Getafe CF achieved promotion to La Liga for the first time,[3] and by 2023–24 had only spent one season back in the Segunda División, in 2016–17.[2] The team reached the Copa del Rey final in 2007 and 2008, and on their European debut in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup, losing on the away goals rule in the last seconds against FC Bayern Munich after a 4–4 draw. Torres reflected that Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer "will remember for the rest of his life where Getafe is".[3] In April 2011, it was widely reported that Torres had sold Getafe CF to the Royal Emirates Group, who had announced such news. He clarified that he had visited the company in Dubai, but only to seek sponsorship.[5]

In December 2004, Torres suggested that his team play in blackface as an anti-racist gesture, after some of his club's fans racially abused FC Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o.[6][7]

References
  1. Marcote, Carlos F. (6 February 2010). "Ángel Torres: «Dentro de nuestra modestia, somos un equipo similar al Barça»" [Ángel Torres: "In our modesty, we are a team similar to Barça"]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  2. Núnez-Villaveiran, Luis (13 August 2023). "De lavaplatos y mecánico a presidente de fútbol, la vida de película de Ángel Torres, alma del Getafe" [From dishwasher and mechanic to football club president, the film-like life of Ángel Torres, the soul of Getafe]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  3. Varona, Alfredo (13 April 2014). "De Comisiones Obreras al cielo" [From the Workers' Commissions to heaven]. Público (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  4. Astrain, Jon (21 May 2011). "Ángel Torres hizo dinero con el ladrillo" [Ángel Torres made money with brick]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  5. Jackson, Jamie (24 April 2011). "Getafe president denies £110m sale to Dubai group has been completed". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  6. Leith, Alex (2 December 2004). "Spanish club to blacken faces". The Independent. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  7. "Time espanhol pode jogar com rostos pintados contra o racismo" [Spanish team could play with painted faces against racism]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). 1 December 2004. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
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