Leila Pereira sues Palmeiras councillor over alleged offensive and sexist remarks | OneFootball

Palmeiras president Leila Pereira has sued club councillor José Corona Neto, seeking R$ 50,000 for moral damages and a public retraction over remarks she considers offensive and sexist. The claim was filed in the 41st Civil Court of São Paulo after a Deliberative Council meeting.

According to Nosso Palestra, Pereira says Corona crossed the line from political criticism by calling her spendthrift and incompetent, telling those who do not understand football to stay at home, and portraying her administration as a losing one.

She says the comments were personal and discriminatory, then spread through media and social platforms, harming her honour and image. She asks the court to order a public apology with reach proportionate to the remarks, under penalty of a fine, arguing money alone cannot repair the damage. She is the club's first female president.

The move precedes a conciliation hearing in Corona’s separate R$ 20,000 claim, alleging she called him a failure, a coward and unbalanced at the same meeting. Case no. 4004882-93.2026.8.26.0011, in the 1st Civil Special Court, will be held virtually on 18 May 2026 at 16:30 after Pereira rejected conciliation.

The parties chose different legal paths, Corona using the Special Civil Court route, while Pereira went to ordinary civil justice, which allows broader evidence on context, publicity and alleged gender bias.

The dispute dates to December 2025, when Corona attacked her stewardship, citing transfer spend and a floated third term, and said she inherited a title-winning squad from Alexandre Mattos and Maurício Galiotte. Pereira said she would not accept disrespect and would seek legal redress, and security removed Corona after a row.

Source: Nosso Palestra