CAS Confirms: Inter Milan Don’t Owe Sporting CP €30M Compensation For Portugal Star’s Controversial Transfer To Benfica | OneFootball

CAS have confirmed that Inter Milan do not owe Sporting CP compensation of €30 million over the transfer of Joao Mario to Benfica.

The Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, report that the ruling body have made a final decision in the case.

Midfielder Joao Mario left in the summer of 2021. He joined Portuguese giants Benfica.

However, Mario had not actually joined Benfica directly from Inter.

Rather, the Nerazzurri agreed upon a termination of the player’s contract by mutual consent. Then, immediately following, Mario signed for Benfica on a free transfer.

That came after Inter and Sporting had been negotiating a deal for Mario for much of the summer.

Sporting failed to make a high enough offer for Inter’s demands. Therefore, the Nerazzurri lost patience, and instead allowed Mario to join Benfica.

CAS – Inter Milan Do Not Owe Sporting €30M Over Joao Mario Transfer

Benfica’s Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario celebrates after scoring a goal during the Portuguese league football match between FC Arouca and SL Benfica at the Municipal stadium in Arouca, on January 31, 2023. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images)

Inter Milan had first signed Joao Mario from Sporting in the summer of 2016.

As part of the deal for the Portuguese midfielder, the Nerazzurri agreed to a clause that they could not sell the player back to a direct rival of Sporting in the Portuguese league.

Such a sale would come with a €30 million penalty that Inter would have to pay to Sporting.

However, Inter did not actually sell Mario to Benfica, Sporting’s bitter city rivals in Lisbon.

Nevertheless, Sporting argued that Inter and Benfica had circumvented the clause.

The two clubs had worked out an arrangement where there was technically no direct sale of Joao Mario, but for all intents and purposes, it had violated the spirit of the clause.

That has been the case that Sporting have been making since the transfer took place.

The Portuguese club took their case to FIFA in 2023. However, the ruling body rejected their argument, siding with Inter.

Then, Sporting took their case to the Court of Arbitration of Sport in Switzerland. But once again, CAS have also sided with Inter.

According to the Gazzetta, Sporting are unlikely to pursue the matter any further.