Ten years after buying the Pyla-sur-Mer campsite, Matthieu Valbuena and his partner Stéphane Carrella face off in court, with the midfielder intending to recover his initial investment.
Matthieu Valbuena may have gone through a series of exiles, not hesitating to play in Russia, Greece, Turkey and even Cyprus, but he nonetheless remains attached to the Bordeaux region. In the summer of 2013, the native of Bruges did not hesitate to invest in the Arcachon Basin by purchasing Pyla Camping, located at the foot of the famous dune. The former Marseillais teamed up to do this with Stéphane Carella, former pillar of the Paloise Section.
And if most of the 6,710,000 euros paid out by the two men were advanced by the banks, Mathieu Valbuena also invested 1.5 million euros from his own pocket through his company MV Développent. For his part, Stéphane Carrella, in charge of management, had put in 10,000 euros. The two men nevertheless agree that the French international will recover his initial investment after five years.
“It’s a private matter”
But five years later, Mathieu Valbuena has still not found his due and the two men are struggling in court, the Apollon Limassol midfielder having won at first instance and Stéphane Carella on appeal. Since then, the 2010 French champion has appealed to the Court of Cassation. “It's a private matter. confided the leader of Biarritz Olympique in the columns of South West. For me, there is no subject. »
“It’s the life of all businesses. Sometimes, there are partners that we keep, other times, we separate before having new ones. I have a lot of respect for him,” he continued, his lawyer suggesting that an amicable agreement between the two parties could be found before the courts decide again.
This clash between Mathieu Valbuena and Stéphane Carrella is nevertheless a small thing compared to the disaster which struck the establishment in the summer of 2022. The Pyla Camping was in fact ravaged by fires and although it was the largest sector with no less than 390 pitches, the campsite reopened last summer with only 14 mobile homes and 50 lodge tents.
