Inter learn verdict of €30m Joao Mario lawsuit with Sporting CP | OneFootball

The European Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that Inter will not have to pay €30m in compensation to Portuguese side Sporting CP over a disagreement of the movements of former Nerazzurri midfielder Joao Mario.

Why Sporting sued Inter for €30m

Back in September, it was revealed that a hearing would take place with the European Court of Arbitration for Sport in December, after a disagreement over compensation for midfielder Joao Mario.

The 56-time Portugal international moved to San Siro in a €45m deal in the summer of 2016, but did not live up to expectations and was subsequently sent out on a series of loan moves to West Ham United, Lokomotiv Moscow and then back to Sporting CP.

Eventually, in the summer of 2021, Inter announced that they had reached an agreement to terminate Joao Mario’s contract by mutual consent, which then allowed him to join Benfica on a free transfer.

This did not please Sporting, who included a clause at the time of their sale of Joao Mario that would have entitled them to an additional fee from Inter if the player was sold on to a rival Portuguese side.

Inter believe that they did not have to pay given that they terminated Joao Mario’s contract and did not sell him directly to Benfica.

Initially, Sporting sought €30m in compensation via an appeal to FIFA, which was rejected.

That led to the case being taken to the European Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has again ruled that Sporting are not entitled to the €30m sum they had sought.