Ligue 1: "If I receive my money, I can continue to fund Lens" (Hafiz Mammadov, owner)

"I have no financial problems. I work with business partners and they have not paid me on time. If I receive my money, I can continue to fund Lens, and there will be no problems. If I throw in the towel now in France, it will not be good for the image of Azerbaijan," stated Hafiz Mammadov, the majority shareholder of RC Lens (Ligue 1) and FC Baku (AZE), during a press conference in Baku (Azerbaijan) on 06/03/2015.

The 99% shareholder of the RC Lens, Hafiz Mammadov has been in financial difficulties since the summer of 2014, and has not paid a investment of €14m to the French club by January 2015. RC Lens are currently in 19^th place in Ligue 1 (22 points) after 28 matchdays, and nine points behind FC Lorient for 17^th and first non-relegation place.

• "Today, I work with business partners and they have not paid me on time the debt which they had. This is very annoying and it hurts me.
• This is what led to the current situation of FC Baku (AZE), but also to Lens FC (Ligue 1).
• I issue an appeal in the media: it is necessary to take immediate action and to pay the balance of the debt. I…