Paqui, recognised as the legitimate daughter of Francisco Gento, has filed preliminary proceedings in a Madrid court to access documents and assets of the footballer. The family wants to know what estate he truly left before contesting the division of the inheritance.
The legal battle over the inheritance of Francisco Gento adds a new chapter. Paqui, the Málaga-born daughter recognised as legitimate of the historic winger of Real Madrid, has returned to the courts to ascertain her father's true estate and claim her rightful share. According to Diario Sur, her lawyer, Ángel Cantero, has submitted preliminary proceedings this September before a Madrid court to access documentation that is not in her possession.
The aim is to gather information before filing a lawsuit to contest the division of the inheritance. The other two children of the footballer, who passed away on January 18, 2022 without acknowledging the paternity relationship, carried out the division when there were already two rulings recognising Paqui's filiation. The deed of partition was granted on April 7, 2022. The Supreme Court confirmed the previous rulings on March 10, 2023.
Paqui, born in 1959 from the more than four-year relationship that Gento had with her mother, a classical dance ballerina, claims she was not notified of that division. When she learned what was attributed to her, she decided not to accept it as she believed assets were missing. Her family now wants to know what truly constituted the player's estate before taking legal action.
One of the first actions is directed at the club where Gento built his legend. The family is requesting from Real Madrid a detailed inventory of all the items it holds from the footballer, known as the 'gale of the Cantabrian' during his golden era. The request includes trophies, titles, recognitions, shirts, kits, shoes, and any other items that belonged to him. They also want to know under what title the club possesses and exploits that collection, whether it pays any amount for it, how much it pays, and who receives that money. Previously, the defence sent several faxes to the club without receiving a response.
The lawyer recalls the case of Alfredo Di Stéfano's collection, which was valued at over 14 million euros to negotiate the contract between his heirs and Real Madrid. Cantero argues that Gento's collection is larger, although there is currently no valuation. Therefore, they have requested that the expert Altamira Sarabia be allowed to access the items to inventory and appraise them.
David Murcia, Paqui's son, insists on the importance of knowing the value of that estate and the amounts it may generate. The proceedings also include Gento's bank accounts: all movements are requested from the entities "from their opening to their closure" and, through the Integrated Notarial Management System (SIGNO), the list of deeds signed by the former footballer. The Tax Agency is asked for his tax returns to check the evolution of his estate, especially since the filiation procedure began.
Cantero points out among the operations he wants to clarify the one involving a high-value property located opposite the Santiago Bernabéu. He explains that it belonged solely to Gento, but before his death, it was contributed to the community property presumably to extract assets and reduce the hereditary mass. He also mentions another property on the Levantine coast, "of considerable economic value," that was sold. "We do not know to whom or where that money went," he states.
The defence has also requested information from the Government of Cantabria regarding a trophy of Gento's that was apparently delivered after his death. They want to know who donated, sold, or ceded it and under what conditions.
The lawyer also analyses the notary's intervention. He believes that, from a formal point of view, he could have fulfilled his obligations if he checked the family book and the birth certificates. However, he specifies that he was the family's usual notary and that the will and the contribution to the community property of the property located opposite the Bernabéu were granted before him. Cantero thus states that "he could be aware of what existed." He asserts that the footballer changed his will on December 19, 2019. "Not only had 45 years passed since his previous will, but he was already aware of the lawsuit and the imminent ruling."
In his opinion, there may be more legal avenues regarding the actions of those who carried out the division. The lawyer believes that the consequences of not including Paqui when they were aware of the filiation procedure and the two rulings that had already ruled in her favour will need to be studied. "We are considering, depending on what we learn now with these preliminary proceedings, whether to pursue criminal actions or not."
Paqui recalls that when she first went to court, it was not with inheritance in mind. "I only went for the surname, for my mother," she emphasises. She even claims she did not know then what estate Gento might have had. The situation changed after the recognition of her filiation. While gathering documentation, she explains, they began to find data and assets that did not match what was included in the inheritance.
"We are in a different situation, we do not have the resources of those people who live off my grandfather"
The preliminary proceedings are currently in the hands of a Madrid court. The family hopes that the requested documentation will allow them to quantify the estate and, with it, decide the next legal steps.
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