(Reuters) -John Textor, the American businessman whose Eagle Football Group owns stakes in Olympique Lyonnais, Crystal Palace, and Botafogo, found himself directly in the firing line of Botafogo fans after his personal phone number was leaked online.
The reigning Brazilian and South American champions have made a disappointing start to the season, prompting fans to express their discontent directly to the owner after his number started circulating in fans' WhatsApp groups in the country.
The leak of Textor's number, the origin of which remains unknown but confirmed to Reuters by sources close to the club as genuine, led to an onslaught of messages from disgruntled fans. Neither Textor nor Botafogo have responded publicly, but the sources added that the matter is now in the hands of the police.
Textor has faced intense scrutiny for the extended search to find a successor to coach Artur Jorge, who announced in January his departure to manage Qatar's Al-Rayyan. Jorge led Botafogo to a Brasileirao Serie A and Copa Libertadores double.
The appointment of Portuguese coach Renato Paiva in late February, after failed attempts to secure Andre Jardine from Club America and former Real Madrid and Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez, has not quelled the rising tide of dissatisfaction amongst the Botafogo faithful.
Paiva, a lower-profile figure, took over a squad that had lost key players like Luiz Henrique and Argentina's Thiago Almada. Defeats in the South American Recopa and Brazilian Super Cup finals compounded an early exit from the Rio de Janeiro-based Campeonato Carioca.
Despite the team's struggles, Textor stood by his appointment of Paiva, citing a belief in the coach's attacking philosophy. However, Botafogo's title defence has been lacklustre, recording two wins in eight matches under Paiva.
Botafogo are third in Group A of the Libertadores and are 15th in the Brazilian top-flight with five points from five outings.
Botafogo fans flooded social media with screenshots of text messages voicing dissatisfaction at the club's direction and demanding Paiva's removal. Some supporters even shared what they purport to be responses from Textor prior to his number change.
(Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Christian Radnedge)
