Leila Pereira and board member trade accusations in Palmeiras meeting | OneFootball

The meeting to approve Palmeiras’ budget for the 2026 season became the stage for a heated discussion between president Leila Pereira and council member José Corona Netto. The verbal clash took place on the evening of last Tuesday, the 16th, and audio recordings were released on journalist Fredy Junior’s YouTube channel, revealing the harsh criticisms and retorts exchanged between the leaders.

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Criticism of management and signings

The starting point of the conflict was Corona Netto’s intervention, who requested the floor to direct a series of criticisms at the club’s signings for 2025. In his argument, he expressed complete disagreement with the current management, describing it as “wasteful” and “incompetent.” He pointed to expenditures of R$ 700 million on “mediocre players,” in addition to R$ 300 million in signing bonuses and salaries.

The council member listed the amounts paid for players such as Giay (US$ 5 million), Mikael (US$ 5 million), and Maurício (R$ 70 million), comparing them to other athletes and arguing that such investments represented “nothing but incompetence.” He emphasized a two-year period without significant achievements, downplaying the Campeonato Paulista as a “Paulistinha,” as per a statement attributed to former president Galiotte.

Corona Netto went further by questioning Leila Pereira’s ability to preside over the club, stating that “those who don’t understand football cannot be president of Palmeiras.” He also directed attacks at football director Anderson Barros, with insults related to his physique and knowledge of the sport. To conclude his speech, the council member classified a possible third term for the president as “immoral” and “amoral.”

The council member also highlighted the century-old history of Palmeiras, arguing that the club “wasn’t born 10 years ago” and that “Palmeiras has been a champion for 100 years.” He concluded that “it wasn’t Crefisa that discovered Palmeiras,” but rather “it was Palmeiras that made Crefisa great.”

Leila Pereira’s responses and legal threat

Visibly bothered by the statements, Leila Pereira responded to Corona Netto’s remarks, who left the meeting room. The president questioned the council member’s attitude, calling him a “coward” for leaving without hearing her reply and labeled him a “failure.”

Leila Pereira defended her management, declaring it to be “the most successful in Palmeiras’ history.” She recalled the club’s financial situation before Crefisa’s sponsorship, stating that “Crefisa came to Palmeiras when Palmeiras was bankrupt.”

The president also positioned herself as a proactive leader, stating that she is not “a woman who stays quiet, who doesn’t take action.” At the end of her speech, Leila Pereira threatened Corona Netto with legal action for the insults directed at her and her administration.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.