Cruzeiro tries to reduce salaries for players who haven’t even arrived

After announcing the departure of director Alexandre Mattos, whose hiring had not even been made official, Cruzeiro could also prematurely say goodbye to reinforcements that did not arrive in Belo Horizonte. This is the case of defender Sidnei, ex-Real Betis (ESP).

The management shock promised by Ronaldo Nazário when he became the majority partner of the Minas Gerais team involves the renegotiation of agreements signed by the board before the sale of shares. The Phenomenon’s goal is to cut the football department’s payroll by 60%.

Conversations with businessmen have already started, and some of them may even end up in court. Sidnei’s interlocutors and also defender Ramon, for example, signaled that they would not accept the reduction of previously agreed values.

Conducted by Mattos, Sydney’s hiring was announced on social media. “The 2022 season promises, Nação Azul”, published Cruzeiro on December 13th. Now, the club has informed the athlete that he will not be able to pay the promised wages and awards.

The 32-year-old has played in Europe for the past 13 seasons, with spells at Benfica, Besiktas, Espanyol, Deportivo La Coruña and Betis. He would receive the highest salaries among the new reinforcements of the Minas Gerais team.

In the evaluation of the businessmen, Sidnei has other options in the market and will not stay with Cruzeiro if the agreement is not complied with. In this case, the player’s team indicated that it must collect compensation in court.

Representatives of Ramon, hired in March of last year, also refuse the offered reduction. The link with the 26-year-old defender runs until 2023, and, therefore, he will have outstanding amounts to receive in case of dismissal.

Attempts to cut spending include the most expensive players in the current squad — such as Ramon, goalkeeper Fábio, defensive midfielder Rômulo and forward Marcelo Moreno — and all the new reinforcements negotiated by the old management.

In addition to Sidnei, goalkeeper Jailson (Palmeiras), full-back Pará (Santos), defender Maicon (Al-Nassr), midfielders Filipe Machado (Grêmio), Pedro Castro (Botafogo), Fernando Neto (Vitória) and João Paulo (Atlético-GO) and forward Edu (Brusque).

The club’s schedule provided for the official cast presentation next week.

Directly responsible for the hiring, Alexandre Mattos defended the actions taken during his time in office. According to the former director, all salaries were adequate for the club’s budget for the next year, of R$ 4.5 million per month.

“Everything authorized by the president, by the financial, at the request of the commission [técnica]. In fact, the cost would remain the same, because more than that would come off the sheet. Now it has an owner, an owner wants profit. Today it is another reality, another thought, and the fan will have to understand. Ronaldo is absolutely right to cut everything. Now, the fans’ patience will be put to the test,” he said.

Confirmed departures

Cruzeiro’s football department is being extensively overhauled by Ronaldo and his team. Proof of this are the already confirmed departures of pieces that were previously considered essential by the former management.

On Tuesday (28), the club announced the farewells of coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, technical director Ricardo Rocha, assistant Maurício Copertino, physical trainer Antônio Mello and physiologist Emerson Silami. The resignation of the coordinator of the youth categories, Gustavo Ferreira, was also confirmed.

“I’ve just been told that I’m not continuing. I receive it with great sadness, but I would accept any decision. I wish the club luck and that it achieves its goal. I’ll definitely be rooting for it,” declared Luxemburgo in a video posted on social networks.

Hired in August, the coach ends his third spell at the celestial club with eight wins, 11 draws and four defeats. The team finished Serie B in 14th place and will compete in the second division of the Brazilian Championship for the third consecutive year in 2022.

Ricardo Rocha also said goodbye through social networks and highlighted the feeling of having fulfilled his “mission of not falling into Series C”.

“We needed players and we couldn’t hire. I made a point of looking at the base, we brought some names to the main team. I understand that the new managers want to follow another path. We were able to do a lot within what was possible”, published Rocha.

In a statement, Cruzeiro’s board argued that it was instructed by the new management not to renew with the technical committee due to the club’s “new budget reality”.

“Since the establishment of an internal audit, the Transition Committee has analyzed all operations, procedures and contracts in order to develop efficient management. The new team will be announced in the coming days. In parallel, other shutdowns are underway. Cruzeiro is immensely grateful. to all professionals for the services provided,” says the statement.

Before that, on the last 22nd, Cruzeiro had also announced that Alexandre Mattos would not follow the 2022 project, despite the director’s never having been officially announced. He worked informally and acted in the planning and hiring of reinforcements announced in the first half of December, before Ronaldo’s arrival.’