Fábio Mota hits out at Grêmio after Vitória’s 1-0 win, cites unpaid Wagner Leonardo fee | OneFootball

Vitória president Fábio Mota criticised Grêmio after his side’s 1-0 victory at Barradão on Monday, a direct clash in the 26th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro. He raised what he says is an unpaid fee relating to defender Wagner Leonardo.

"It would have been an injustice to lose to a team that defaults on debts, they owe the club 2.5 million dollars. They keep signing, Brazilian football needs to change," he told Rádio Sociedade.

"Vitória have already gone to court, and in November we will file for enforcement. [Grêmio’s board] did not show up, they stayed at the hotel and did not have the courage to come here."

Mota had already pressed the issue in a press conference last Friday, noting the 9 million reais Grêmio are due from the CBF for reaching the Copa do Brasil semi-finals.

In October 2025, Vitória took a claim to the CBF’s Câmara Nacional de Resolução de Disputas over the alleged debt tied to Wagner Leonardo’s transfer. The sale had been agreed at 4.5 million dollars, listed as 26 million reais at the time.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”