Pedrinho’s return clears key hurdle in Vasco SAF sale talks | OneFootball

A court order halting judicial intervention at Vasco SAF has returned control to the board, putting Pedrinho back in charge. That fulfils a central condition set by investor Marcos Lamacchia for talks over acquiring the club’s football operations.

Lamacchia recently wrote to court-appointed intervenors saying contracts were close to completion after two years of negotiations, but any funding hinged on two points, the end of the intervention with reinstatement of removed board members, and the remedying of any irregularities flagged by authorities.

"The 777 does not worry me. It is a negotiating matter, a smokescreen. In truth, those removed from Pedrinho’s group are seeking to retain power via the courts. What concerns me is not the decision itself. Court decisions are complied with, contested and overturned," he told O Globo.

"If these talks were not with Pedrinho, we would already be out. What is worrying is the signal this sends to any investor thinking about Brazilian football. When a club’s internal politics can lead the judiciary into error to stall a billion-level negotiation on the verge of announcement, the damage is incalculable. And Vasco cannot pay that price."

Vasco SAF is 30% owned by the social club, 31% by 777, and a further 39% is under arbitration. Any sale of the disputed stake would require an agreement or a court ruling in Vasco’s favour, and 777 insists on taking part in talks. A new sale would still need approval from the Beneméritos Council, the Deliberative Council and a General Assembly, plus court sign-off while SAF and club remain under judicial recovery. Recently, 106 councillors issued a letter backing Pedrinho and a sale to Lamacchia.

Source: Globo.com