Having kept his off-field hardships away, Milan star Rafael Leao has played a crucial role in Milan’s 19th Scudetto triumph this season.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the TAS (International Arbitration Tribunal for Sport) has ruled that Rafael Leao will have to compensate Sporting CP a figure of €16.5million. As for the payment, the player will need to withdraw at least 20% of his monthly salary.
Leao, now 22, joined Sporting at the age of nine. Emerging through the ranks, he made his professional debut in Portugal.
But after the Portuguese giants had failed to qualify for the Champions League in the 2017-18 season, Leao, along with eight other players, terminated the contract with Sporting unilaterally, mentioning that they were the victims of a violent attack by the Portuguese ultras in Sporting’s training ground.
Leaving Portugal, the witty winger joined Lille in 2018. And after one year in France, he moved to Milan. Sporting soon lodged a case against Leao and the Ligue 1 club in the Portuguese court, accusing the player and Lille of the irregularities committed in the transfer. And subsequently, both parties were found guilty.
After the Portuguese court had rejected the player’s appeal, they moved the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The higher court has now reportedly discovered both the player and Lille condemnable in the case.
While Lille, as per the report, were jointly and severally convicted, Sporting are still not satisfied with the judgement. As things stand, Leao, who earns an annual salary of €1.5million per season, will have to compensate Sporting €16.5million.
