Maxi López Faces Financial Accusations from Former Colleague Ezequiel Schelotto at FC Paradiso

Former Argentine footballer Ezequiel Schelotto has publicly accused Maxi López, a television personality and former footballer, of abandoning financial commitments to FC Paradiso, a Swiss third-division club. The dispute centers around López’s departure from the club after acquiring a 40% stake in 2025 through his investment firm, Maxaco Capital [DailySports].

A 15-Year Friendship Turned Sour

Schelotto, who played alongside López at Catania and Chievo Verona, revealed that he was instrumental in bringing López to FC Paradiso. Their relationship spanned 15 years, but López’s sudden exit left the club and its players in a precarious financial situation [OneFootball].

Financial Strain and Personal Costs

According to Schelotto, López left “from one day to the next without telling anyone.” This abrupt departure forced Schelotto to personally cover expenses for players who had joined the club based on promises made by López, including housing and food [OneFootball]. Schelotto stated he used his own money “from my pocket” to support the players and acknowledged he may not recover those funds [Reddit].

FC Paradiso’s Current Situation

Following López’s departure, Schelotto assumed the role of vice president of FC Paradiso. The club is currently focused on maintaining its position in the Promotion League and aiming for promotion to the second division in the coming years [OneFootball]. The club, founded in 1917, plays in the third division and has a small stadium capacity of 1,000 fans [DailySports].

López’s Previous Ventures

Prior to investing in FC Paradiso, López briefly held a stake in English club Birmingham City in 2022, but the deal was short-lived due to fan opposition [DailySports].