Audi buys stake in FC Bayern Munich

Audi has all but completed negotiations with FC Bayern Munich to buy a 9.5 percent stake in the football club, according to a report in the online version of Stern magazine.

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The move should pour around €80 million into the club’s coffers, and has already been approved by the boards of both firms. All that remains is for the deal to be signed – and this should take place in the next few days, the magazine says.

This would not only further improve the finances of the football champs, it would also further bind Audi to Germany’s most successful soccer club.

And side deals between Audi and FC Bayer’s other sponsors such as Adidas or Telekom.

The magazine also suggests that Audi’s owner Volkswagen would get a further seat on the FC Bayern board. Martin Winterkorn already sits on the club’s board, and could be joined by Audi head Rupert Stadler.

Bayern is currently ranked fifth in the Bundesliga, behind Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburg, Werder Bremen and Schalke 04. Bayern is scheduled to play VfB Stuttgart on Saturday afternoon.