Arboleda answers ‘ultimatum’ and vows return: São Paulo weighs fine, axe | OneFootball

The public “ultimatum” São Paulo gave defender Arboleda, through the release of an official statement, worked. After more than 72 hours without any communication, the player replied to former teammate and current boss Rafinha on the night of this Monday (6).

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, the contact happened after the delegation landed in Uruguay, where the Morumbi club makes its Copa Sudamericana debut this Tuesday (8) against Boston River. According to witnesses, as soon as Rafinha turned on his phone, he saw that he had received messages from the defender through an app.

Arboleda was blunt. He promised to return to Brazil during the day and meet at CT da Barra Funda on Wednesday (8), after the group returns, to define his situation.

Internally, it was revealed to the report that the defender’s contact showed no sign of regret. He only answered an appeal from his agent, since São Paulo was threatening to fire him for cause if he did not provide an explanation.

Despite the conversation set to take place, no one at Tricolor wants Arboleda back with the squad. The players did not approve of their teammate’s attitude, on the eve of an important match, and do not want to forgive him. Executive Rui Costa has already decided on a fine and contract termination. President Harry Massis Júnior promises not to pay a single cent for the departure. And that the matter be decided in court. Backed by the legal department, they know that the trip to another country and the images released of the player drinking with friends at a party are, by themselves, enough to characterize job abandonment.

DEVELOPMENTS

São Paulo spoke officially for the first time, through a statement on its website, about defender Aboleda’s situation, after he abandoned the club before the match against Cruzeiro this Saturday (4) and left for Ecuador without giving São Paulo any explanation.

In the official statement, the Morumbi club says it has taken all appropriate measures and sent Robert Arboleda a formal notice this Monday (6), granting him a 24-hour deadline to provide explanations and regularize his professional situation at São Paulo.

Shortly before that, football executive Rui Costa had already broken the silence and spoke about the defender’s disappearance, and he is not expected to play for the club again after once more missing training this Monday (6).

To the ‘Globo Esporte’ website, Costa confirmed that the board still has not managed to contact the Ecuadorian, but avoided speaking about punishments and measures being decided against the player because of his behavior.

“There is absolutely no justification for this act. It is disrespectful to the squad, the board, and São Paulo’s fans. We are trying to reestablish contact with the athlete to resolve the case. In any event, we have our Copa Sudamericana debut this Tuesday (7), and the players are fully focused on this next challenge,” he said.

“Arboleda was called up for the match against Cruzeiro, did not show up at CT da Barra Funda and, since then, we have had no official position from the player. We have a group of committed players who know that we have a run of matches over the next two months that could define our goals for the season,” Costa added.

This Monday, videos also began to surface of the player at parties in Ecuador, having fun with his friends and showing no concern for the club he has represented for nearly ten years.

THE CASE

AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR learned in the early hours of this Sunday (5) that the trigger for the internal crisis involving Arboleda was a reprimand from Rui Costa and Rafinha to the defender after Friday’s training session (3) over posts on social media complaining about not being used regularly by coach Roger Machado. (Click here to read our opinion on the matter)

The report managed to take a screenshot of one of those messages, but according to accounts from São Paulo officials, there were at least three others, deleted by the player, in addition to comments endorsing criticism of the coach made by fans in the replies.

Arboleda was called in for a private conversation after training at CT da Barra Funda and was instructed to stop. Roger did not take part in the meeting, nor did he bring the matter to the board. “To be honest, he didn’t even know. They preferred to handle the matter without involving him,” a source heard by AMT said.

The Ecuadorian’s reaction to the scolding was as bad as it could be. Arboleda cleared out his locker in his room at the CT training camp and has been unreachable ever since. Messages came through his staff. To journalists, the player’s representatives leaked the information that he would like to be transferred because he was not being used regularly by the coach.

That was still on Friday. This Saturday (4), after missing the squad’s presentation to have lunch and begin training camp for the clash against Cruzeiro at the CT, the player’s family and friends did not answer even other club players. Only hours before the match did one of his agents say that Arboleda is in Ecuador and no longer wants to play for São Paulo. Club officials heard by the report doubt he could have traveled in such a short time. Resigned, the coach removed him from the squad list.

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