Sporting want €30M from Joao Mario move to Benfica

Sporting have filed a lawsuit against Benfica midfielder Joao Mario in Lisbon courts, seeking €30M from the player that it feels it is owed due to Joao Mario joining Benfica last summer from Inter Milan. Sporting are claiming that Joao Mario joining Benfica violated their original sale terms with Inter back in 2016 which included an anti-rival clause if Joao Mario was sold to another Portuguese club and that Inter and Joao Mario's agreement to terminate the players contract was a work around to avoid paying them the fee.

What is not known at this time is if Sporting will also file a suit against Inter Milan since they state that both the Italian club and Joao Mario agreed to the anti-clause fee of €30M at the time of Joao Mario's sale from Sporting to Inter. The 29 year old is currently enjoying his first camp under new Benfica manager Roger Schmidt and is said to be calm about the labour court filing by his former club and is currently focused on finding a role under his new manager for the upcoming 2022/23 season.

Benfica release 2022/23 league schedule

Benfica have found out their schedule for the 2022/23 season which will kick off the first weekend in August and wrap up at the end of May with a break due to World Cup 2022 taking place in Qatar from mid November to a few days before the end of the calendar year in December. Benfica kicks off their campaign against Arouca at the Estadio da Luz and end their campaign against Santa Clara also at home.

Benfica will take on FC Porto in Week 10 at the Dragao and host the return leg in Week 27. Benfica will face off against their city rivals Sporting in Week 16 at the Luz and then travel to Alvalade for a Week 33 encounter.

 

Other notable games include Benfica traveling to the Azores to play Santa Clara in Week 17 and traveling to Madeira to face Maritimo in Week 24. Benfica will be in the Algarve to face Portimonense in Week 32 and face Casa Pia another Lisbon club in Week 2 and Week 19. Benfica and Braga face off in Week 14 and 31.

Benfica ready to send Gabriel to Brazil

Benfica midfielder Gabriel has found out that he is not in the plans this season of incoming manager Roger Schmidt and Benfica are once again looking for options to send Gabriel who has a contract with the Lisbon side until the summer of 2024. Gabriel spent last season on loan with Qatar club Al-Gharafa were he appeared in 30 games across all competitions, scoring 7 goals while providing 8 helpers as his club finished the season in fifth spot.

Brazilian clubs Flamengo and Botafogo are both said to be interested in the services of the 28 year old who last played in Brazil back in 2011 for Resende-RJ before joining Juventus under 19 side in Italy. Benfica are open to selling Gabriel if their price point is met but are also open to another loan for the midfielder. Gabriel last appeared in a game with Benfica in May of 2021 were he picked up an assist in a victory over Guimaraes in league play.