Club Universidad Nacional (Pumas of UNAM) has filed a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against former Brazilian footballer Dani Alves. The complaint focuses on alleged contractual violations during Alves' time with the team between 2022 and 2023. The hearing for the case, identified as CAS 2024/A/10733, has been set for March 25.
The relationship between Alves and Pumas ended abruptly in January 2023 when the club terminated his contract following the player's arrest in Spain on an accusation of sexual assault, for which he was subsequently sentenced to four and a half years in prison. The university institution claims that the Brazilian violated a conduct clause established in his contract and is reportedly seeking compensation of five million dollars.
Although initially the club's management denied requesting financial compensation, local media have confirmed that the lawsuit filed with CAS is based on a breach of contractual provisions. The termination letter delivered to Alves mentioned "just cause" as the reason for the end of the relationship.
Pumas was the last team in Dani Alves' professional career, who had notable performances in clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, PSG, and Sevilla. After spending a large part of 2023 in detention in Barcelona, the Brazilian full-back regained his freedom on bail and has reportedly been participating in amateur matches in Spain. Meanwhile, the legal process with his former club continues, and it will be CAS that determines the outcome of this dispute.
