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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Rob Davies and Simon Lock

Revealed: Abramovich, the super-agent and the footballers owned as ‘commodities’

Pini Zahavi Roman Abramovich Football Chelsea Málaga Apollon Limassol La Liga Maribor Europe Fifa
Pinhas Zahavi with Roman Abramovich surrounded by screens showing pixelated football players and Limassol football club stadium
Pinhas ‘Pini’ Zahavi and Roman Abramovich are two of the most powerful men in football. Composite: Guardian Design/Allpix/PA

The entire population of Tillmitsch, in the mountainous Austrian wine-growing region of Styria, could fit into Manchester City FC’s 53,400-seater Etihad Stadium more than 14 times over.

The local team plays in the lowly fourth tier of Austrian football, a far cry from the pinnacle of the global footballing pyramid occupied by the Manchester club.

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