The once amicable relationship between Paulo Pezzolano and Ronaldo Nazário, forged during their time together at Cruzeiro, has soured. The former Real Valladolid coach has filed a claim against the club, alleging unfair dismissal, and both parties are set to meet at the Servicio Regional de Relaciones Laborales (SERLA) on Friday, January 17, at 12:00 p.m.
Pezzolano, who was dismissed on November 30 due to the team’s poor performance, is demanding the full payment of his contract until June 30, totaling €1.25 million. The club, however, argues that it settled his dues on December 1, transferring slightly over €2,100 after taxes, which the coach deems insufficient.
Pezzolano’s contract stipulated a monthly salary of €180,000 until the end of the 2024-25 season, with an automatic renewal clause if the team achieved promotion. Despite these terms, the club has resisted paying the full amount, leveraging updated football regulations that allow clubs to defer payments to outgoing coaches until the end of the season, as outlined in Article 163 of the RFEF regulations.
Should no resolution be reached during the SERLA mediation, Pezzolano has the option to escalate the matter to the courts to claim his unpaid wages.
This isn’t the first time Real Valladolid has faced legal disputes with former coaches. In June 2023, Pezzolano’s predecessor, Pacheta, pursued legal action for unpaid wages following his controversial dismissal despite having kept the team out of the relegation zone. The club eventually reached a payment agreement with Pacheta, allowing Pezzolano to take over for the 2023-24 season.
Another notable case involved Miroslav Djukic, who led the team to its best finish in recent years (14th in the 2012-13 season) before leaving for Valencia. Disputes over his contract led to mutual lawsuits, with Valladolid accusing Djukic of breach of contract and the coach countering with claims for unpaid bonuses. Both cases were dismissed in 2015.
The upcoming mediation at SERLA will be critical in determining whether Pezzolano and Real Valladolid can settle the dispute amicably or if it will escalate to the courts.
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