By Xinhua,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazilian football club Fluminense, which lost the Libertadores Cup final to Ecuadors LDU, received another hard blow as the club’s share of the final match revenues, which amounts to 2.8 million reais ($1.75 million), was pledged to pay a debt with former player Branco, local reports said.
Branco, who is the Fluminense’s football manager, was suing the club since 1994 over a wage debt from when he was playing in the country’s national team. At the time, Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF) paid three months of Branco’s salary to Fluminense, but the club did not pay the athlete.
“I can comment on this matter with tranquility. It is of common knowledge that I have had a court dispute with Fluminense since 1994. I am surprised, though, to learn that I will receive the match’s revenue,” Branco said.
He also stressed that the he was not to be pictured as a villain for the pledging of the club’s income, as it was a court decision over a matter in which he was the wronged part.
“I want to make clear that I am not the villain in this story, on the contrary. The money I want to receive came from CBF, which paid my wage to Fluminense in 1994, and the club did not pay me.”
“This is called embezzlement, and I am completely right in this matter,” he added.