Clifford Chance advises Velocity Sports Partners on the acquisition of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona

Clifford Chance has advised Velocity Sports Partners (VSP), ALK Capital's sports investment arm, on its acquisition of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, from Rastar Group.

This landmark transaction, involving one of Spain’s most historic football clubs, represents a significant step in VSP’s multi-club investment strategy and reinforces its footprint in European football alongside Burnley FC.

The Clifford Chance team provided end-to-end legal support to the buyer — including due diligence, structuring, and negotiation — through a multidisciplinary approach combining the firm’s expertise in M&A, sports law, finance, and regulatory matters.

This transaction further consolidates Clifford Chance’s position as the go-to firm for complex cross-border sports investments and reinforces our market-leading track record in high-profile M&A deals in the sports sector.

The Madrid team was led by Corporate/M&A partner Luis Alonso and counsel Pablo Murcia, with the support of senior associate Javier Montañés and associates Conrado López, Xabier Olabarri, Juan Antonio Peces, Francesca Warren and Jaime Sánchez.

The New York team was led by Corporate/M&A partner Benjamin Sibbett. The firm’s multidisciplinary team for this transaction also included specialists from the regulatory practice (Jaime Almenar and Octavio Canseco), finance (Eduardo Garcia and Mariana Ceballos), real estate (Andres Tirado), Tax (Fernando Escribano) and IP (Juan Cuerva), among others, ensuring comprehensive advice on all aspects of the matter.