Chapter 672: PSG

With Arsenal defeating Real Madrid 3-1 at home in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals, they advanced to the final with a total score of 4-2.

Barcelona also won against Manchester United and would compete for the championship with Arsenal at the end of the month at Wembley Stadium!

The Nets lost to the Bulls in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with a total score of 2-4, ending their playoff journey this year.

...

In mid-May, Charles went directly to Paris, France, to discuss the listing plans for Capet Universal with investors led by Banque de Paris.

At the Peninsula Paris, Eva Green, back from the United States to attend the Cannes Film Festival, accompanied Charles to a business reception.

Many celebrities from Paris's political, business, entertainment, and sports circles attended.

"I thought you'd start developing Taken 3 quickly," Charles chatted with Eva Green and Europacorp's Luc Besson.

"Taken 3 is not planned yet. Taken 2 just came out last year. The third part will take at least three more years," Luc Besson smiled. "This year's Colombiana will be great too!"

Colombiana was also produced by the renowned French director Luc Besson, directed by Olivier Megaton, who directed Taken 2 last year.

It was another intense crime action film, started filming at the end of last year, and would be released later this year!

Currently, Europacorp's main Hollywood partners were 20th Century Fox and Capet Universal.

For example, the American partners for the Taxi series and Banlieue 13 series were 20th Century Fox.

The partners for the Taken series and crime action films like Colombiana were Capet Universal.

The lead actress in Colombiana was Zoe Saldana, who had also starred as the lead role in Avatar.

Luc Besson inquired, "Are you not going to Cannes?"

"In a few days," Charles didn't plan to go to Cannes that early.

"What about you, Eva?" Luc Besson asked Eva Green.

"Me? I'm going tomorrow afternoon, and then I need to head back to the U.S. the day after to continue filming Dark Shadows," Eva Green said with a smile.

Later, Charles ran into Sebastian Bazin, a partner at Colony Capital, and started chatting.

After all, Colony Capital and Capet Capital had some ties, and Colony Capital was also a shareholder of Capet Universal.

Previously, assets like Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch and Sony/ATV Music Publishing shares were mortgaged to Colony Capital. However, West Pacific Union Bank, led by Charles, resolved Michael Jackson's debt crisis, and the Sony/ATV shares were mortgaged to West Pacific Union Bank instead!

As for Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, Colony Capital repackaged it and put it on the market for sale.

Colony Capital was the controlling party of the French hotel group Accor, and Sebastian Bazin was not only the CEO of the French Accor Group but also the chairman of PSG (Paris Saint-Germain).

"Mr. Bazin, I heard that Qatar Investment Authority's sports investment company is acquiring PSG?" Charles smiled and asked.

Sebastian Bazin nodded, "We are still negotiating."

"What, is your CSE interested?" Bazin asked.

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) was one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world!

Charles shook his head, laughing, "Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 World Cup last year had a lot of support from France. Now, the QIA wants to acquire PSG to promote the national image; it's a good method!"

The meeting last year in Paris between French President Nicolas Sarkozy, UEFA President Michel Platini, and Qatar's Crown Prince Tamim Al Thani was intriguing, wasn't it?

There were quite a few secrets in Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 World Cup!

Sebastian Bazin smiled, "With the involvement of the QIA, the impact on Ligue 1 won't be small. The flourishing development of the Premier League makes other European leagues very envious!"

"By the way, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the QIA representative responsible for acquiring PSG, is over there," Bazin pointed out. "Charles, do you want to meet him? He's very eager to get to know a celebrity like you!"

"No problem," Charles couldn't treat Middle Eastern tycoons coldly. Arsenal's official partner, Emirates Airline, was also funded by an Emirati group.

Manchester City's owner, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, was also funded by an Emirati group!

Charles treated sovereign wealth funds from the Middle Eastern countries equally, be it UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, or Oman; their dollars were all very appealing.

"Good evening, Mr. Capet," Nasser Al-Khelaifi greeted Charles warmly. Although he was now the head of QIA's sports investment, he was still just working for the Qatar royal family.

"Good evening, just call me Charles," Charles shook hands with him. Although this guy wasn't the Qatar Crown Prince, he was a trusted aide of Crown Prince Tamim Al Thani.

"QIA has a lot of investments in America. We hope to cooperate with Capet Capital in the future," Nasser Al-Khelaifi knew that the person in front of him was a Hollywood tycoon, and connecting with him would greatly benefit Qatar's international image!

"There will be opportunities. Capet Capital has many investments in the U.S. and overseas..."

...

Evening, Eva Green's suburban villa.

Charles was cuddling Eva Green in the bathtub, smiling, "Middle Eastern oil tycoons are acquiring PSG. The power of financial football is growing stronger!"

"Really? PSG's performance isn't that great now," Eva Green wasn't very interested.

"Who would care about how much PSG is worth, only a few tens of million euros," Charles said, shaking his head. In other aspects, with France's strong support for Qatar, the kickbacks weren't small!

Eva Green turned around, facing Charles directly, "Charles, aren't you interested in a Ligue 1 team?"

Charles shook his head, "Not really. The teams here aren't worth much!"

After speaking, he started kissing the woman...

*****

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