Banfield Players Strike Over Three Months of Unpaid Salaries

Banfield, Argentina — On Saturday, the professional football team from Banfield halted training in protest of three months’ unpaid salaries. This decision highlights the club’s dire economic situation amidst ongoing sports struggles.

The protest is set to continue until at least Monday, when the team is scheduled to regroup under new coach Pedro Troglio. Players and club employees alike have expressed their frustrations over delayed payments, indicating that this issue has escalated in recent weeks.

Friday’s training for youth teams was canceled as staff engaged in a strike over unpaid wages, leading to a shortage of clean uniforms. The educational staff at Banfield’s institute is also facing wage disputes and has resorted to similar protest measures.

The economic crisis has further intensified with FIFA’s decision to prevent the club from registering new players due to a $165,000 debt related to Nicolás Sosa Sánchez’s transfer from Club León in Mexico.

On Saturday, players chose not to participate in practice despite coach Troglio’s plans for a morning session. After three months without pay, the team expresses that their patience is wearing thin. They have been instructed to report for practice on Monday, but uncertainty looms within the club.

Club management, led by Matías Mariotto, is working to resolve the issues but does not have a clear plan to pay the overdue salaries. If payments are not made, the strike may continue, halting preparations for upcoming matches.

The financial troubles are not limited to the football team. A general strike by employees affected operations across the club on Saturday. The financial report released by the management earlier this year revealed a staggering $13.5 million debt, which includes nearly $900,000 in overdue wages for the professional team and significant amounts owed to administrative staff and educators.

Despite these challenges, Banfield recently signed a new forward, Rodrigo Auzmendi, who is expected to bolster the team. However, his integration into training is contingent upon the resolution of the club’s financial issues. Banfield’s future and the immediate return to training will depend on the management’s ability to address these serious financial setbacks.