Libra Pix pays São Paulo squad, late wage fears linger | OneFootball

In less than 24 hours after it leaked that São Paulo had financial issues with its squad regarding image rights payments (learn more by clicking here) and superintendent Márcio Carlomagno took up a position at the Barra Funda training center to curb the crisis knocking at the door, the overdue payments were partially settled last Wednesday (22).

While many fans attribute the victory over Bahia last Saturday (25) at Morumbi to the money transferred to the players, AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR found out that the payment was only possible thanks to external help.

The Morumbi club received a hefty sum of R$ 12 million from Libra on the morning of the fateful day. This is part of the R$ 77 million that were in the Rio de Janeiro court at Flamengo's request through an injunction that was overturned last week.

The amount refers to the funds São Paulo was entitled to from ‘Grupo Globo‘ due to pay-per-view sales.

Sources from São Paulo's football leadership pointed out to the report that other smaller debts, with some specific players, were also settled (such as signing bonuses for new hires, and awards and bonuses for achieved goals).

Despite the internal euphoria among the players, the board, however, is far from celebrating. On the contrary, there is tension between Carlomagno and the football director Carlos Belmonte. After all, São Paulo not only still owes one month of image rights but also has three more months of payments until the players' vacations, plus the 13th salary.

The explanation given to the athletes is that the club is facing a cash flow problem between the date of receivables and the date of payables. Generally, the latter arrives before the former, which, according to them, causes the delays. The problem is that this problematic flow has persisted since the beginning of the season. And the situation has become normalized within Morumbi.

Because of this, it is plausible the information released by ‘Rádio Bandeirantes‘ that the surplus announcement made by Casares in his press conference the week before last was ridiculed internally. To AMT, a player and people connected to other athletes denied the information and assured that there is trust in the board.

UNDERSTAND THE CASE

São Paulo celebrated the victory in the Libra court case, the Brazilian Football League it is part of, after Judge Lúcia Helena do Passo overturned the injunction requested by Flamengo, which blocked R$ 83 million of a portion of the broadcast rights of the Brasileirão.

The amounts would be transferred to the clubs belonging to the League, and this total of R$ 83 million shows an increase compared to the initially disclosed R$ 77 million.

According to Gazeta Esportiva, this increase of R$ 6 million is due to an amount related to Grêmio, which had not been accounted for. The action is under judicial secrecy.

According to initial information published by journalist PVC, the magistrate altered and reduced the total block of the amount, understanding that it made no sense to retain it all in dispute. She considered that, if the merit of the action is judged in favor of the Flamengo's argument, the difference due to Flamengo would be R$ 1.6 million, which is the only amount currently blocked.

The Cariocas now have a five-business-day deadline to present a counterargument, or the amount of R$ 1.6 million will remain under judicial block.

TRICOLOR VS. FLAMENGO

After the action filed by Flamengo, São Paulo slammed the rival through an official note issued at the end of last month, where it repudiated the Cariocas' conduct, who breached an agreement with Libra regarding quota payments.

In its manifesto, Tricolor attacked the rival's current management, criticizing the attitude for not honoring already established contracts, stating it is not ‘consistent with its grand past’ and has the ‘intention of financially hindering Brazilian football’ by blocking funds that clubs had already planned for.

“The current management of Flamengo seems not to understand that it is responsible for the inherited contracts. After all, the enormous history of the Carioca club was built over the years, not by the current leaders.

We trust that the Rio de Janeiro court will be able to evaluate the Carioca club's attitude correctly and impartially,” São Paulo concluded in its issued note of aversion.

A few days later, Tricolor released a new official note (check here) repudiating and debunking several falsehoods that the Cariocas have been spreading.

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