New RCD Espanyol owner Chen Yansheng. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chen Yansheng, the new Chinese owner of Spanish La Liga club RCD Espanyol, said that he wants the Barcelona-located team to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, the top annual continental club football tournament in Europe, in "less than three years".
"I hope that the club are healthy and in the Champions League in less than three years," Chen said on Thursday in a press conference at the club's home stadium of Cornellà-El Prat in Barcelona, as reported by ESPN.
"But I don't want to put any pressure on (coach Constantin) Galca, who is here next to me. But thanks to our presence, there will be no need to worry anymore about selling players due to financial troubles. They will all be up to date with their salary payments," he added.
Chen, who is also the chairman of China's Rastar Group, a leading toy car maker in the far eastern nation, had purchased a 54 percent stake of the Periquitos' ownership in November of last year.
Daniel Sanchez Llibre, the Catalonia club's ex-president, will stay as an assessor to the new owner and president as he and Ramon Condal keeps five percent of the ownership.
Chen, who is a well-known fan of Espanyol for more than two decades, flying in and out of Spain for years before finally buying it, also said that he is planning to invest an additional €45 million into the Spanish top flight club "to speed up development".
The billionaire business mogul also reiterated that leading Espanyol is a "passion and more than just an investment" and that there is "no reason why Barcelona should not have two powerful clubs" at its disposal.
Yahoo Sports noted that the Blanquiazules has never participated in the Champions League's 60-year history although it has reached the UEFA Cup finals twice, losing both times via penalty shootout.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the club," outgoing president Joan Collet told reporters in the press conference. "I hope for great success and good governance from the owners who will now take Espanyol forward."
Espanyol is currently at the 13th spot of the 2015-2016 La Liga table, donning a 6-11-4 win-loss-draw slate and tied with Real Betis garnering 22 points, 26 points behind league-leading FC Barcelona.
