The players and the technical director of the León soccer team criticized FIFA for having unjustly excluded them from the Club World Cup and asked him to reconsider the decision and return the place they won on the court.
FIFA left León from the Club World Cup on March 21, since both that institution and El Pachuca, also classified to the tournament, did not comply with the criteria on diversified property. Both clubs are owned by Grupo Pachuca.
“It is a big injustice, he has earned everything within the field, we are all beaten with all these things, if we are out it is something that is not fair,” said Colombian midfielder James Rodríguez at a press conference where several club players were and the Argentine technical director Eduardo Berizzo.
“It will not be good if another team is going, football is going to see Machado, that FIFA studies that well,” added the player who arrived in León in January.
León qualified for the Club World Cup after winning the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2023, while Pachuca conquered the competition last year.
Lee: The lion will reach the last consequences to defend his place in the Club World Cup
León, who had remained in Group D of the competition with Flamengo from Brazil, Esperance of Tunisia and Chelsea of England, warned that he will appeal the decision to the highest sports organizations.
“It seems to me a brutal injustice, if someone did things wrong, it is FIFA, not León, because the issue of multiprophity has existed for many years throughout the world. They invite you to the raffle, they advertise, (Gianni) infantino welcomes you and missing less than 100 days they tell you that you can not, it seems to me that the one who is doing bad things is FIFA,” said midfielder Andrés.
“I would also like to point out that the teams that now raise their hands to go. What face do they deserve to go if they did not win it on the court, if they also had the same opportunity as León and Pachuca and do not win it? It would be ashamed to go or raise my hand,” said the player who in January returned to the courts two months after his retirement to dispute the local tournament and the World Cup.
The Alajuelense Sports League of Costa Rica filed a complaint with FIFA based on the “principles of eligibility” of competition, requesting the right to participate in the Club World Cup.
The Costa Rican team said last month that he went to the sports arbitration court (TAS) after FIFA did not act on his complaint, requesting a ruling at the latest one month before the start of the Club World Cup.
“We trust that the final resolution allows us to dispute the World Cup because the team has achieved it on the court and it is worth defending that right. We trust that the people who defend our position to achieve it and that the FIFA understands that it has been an unfair and hurried decision,” Berizzo said.
Lee: Club World Cup winners will receive up to $ 125 million: FIFA
“The TAS must return to the club the right to compete, I am hopeful that we have a positive response, we all receive the blow but we continue forward, expectant and excited that we can enjoy that world party,” said the Argentine coach.
The Club World Cup will be played from June 14 to July 13 in the United States. The winners of the fair in which 32 teams will participate and that will distribute a cash prize of 1,000 million dollars will take up to 125 million dollars.
With Reuters information
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