The champion of Portugal did not pay the transfer fee on time.

In the summer of 2017, Sporting Lisbon acquired attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes from the Genoese Sampdoria for 9.7 million euros, and three years later he arranged his transfer to English Manchester United for 63 million euros..

Already familiar to modern realities, in the contract for the transfer of the Portuguese footballer from the Sump camp, an option was prescribed for the commission due to the Italian team from the subsequent sale of the footballer.

As it turned out, the current champions of Portugal in the winter of 2020 “forgot” to pay the Genoese team the required 1.5 million euros, which eventually turned into an appeal by Sampdoria to the relevant UEFA structure, followed by a lawsuit against Sporting.

The decision on the case on the need to pay the above amount by the Portuguese team was made by the Club Financial Control Authority on December 3, 2021, after which the Lions tried to appeal, but lost.

The Appeals Chamber ruled:.

– dismiss the appeal filed by Sporting;

– to confirm the club’s exclusion from the next UEFA club competition (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League), in which it could participate in the next three seasons (2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25), if the club cannot prove by.

– confirm the fine imposed on the club in the amount of 250,000 euros.

Note that in the current UEFA Champions League, Sporting has already managed to win a place in the 1/8 finals, where they will play against the English Manchester City.