Risk of default for Coritiba? Vasco has one of the biggest debts in Brazilian football

Vasco need to pay R$4 million in fine to take the technician Fernando Seabra do Coritibabut the payment method is blocking the negotiation.

The Rio club wants to pay in installments, while Coxa demands payment in cash. The negotiation takes place at a time when Cruzmaltino has one of the highest debts in Brazilian football and is still experiencing legal and political instability with uncertainty over the future of the Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF).

According to a survey by the company Sports Value, based on official balance sheets released by the clubs, Vasco has the fourth largest debt, with a value of R$ 928.5 million recorded in the financial statement. There was an increase of 24% compared to the R$747.6 million published in the previous season.

Furthermore, Cruzmaltino also suffers from problems off the field. President Pedrinho and two other members of the SAF Council were removed from their positions in May, while lawyer Samantha Mendes Longo resigned from her position as SAF intervenor due to a “serious incident” regarding personal security last Tuesday (30).

All this amidst the proposal from businessman Marcos Lamacchia, stepson of Leila Pereira, president of Palmeiras, to purchase SAF Vasco. Despite all the problems at the club, he considers the deal closed and still rules out any involvement from his stepmother. However, Marcos’ father and Leila’s husband, José Lamacchia, will be the guarantor of the operation to guarantee all payments.

Even with the almost billion-dollar debt and the problems outside the four lines, Vasco offered a salary of R$1.5 million for Fernando Seabra’s entire technical committee, almost three times more than he received. The value of the fine that needs to be paid is around 25% of what was invested by Coritiba in reinforcements during the season. It is worth remembering that Coxa spent R$15 million to sign striker Bruno Lopes, the biggest deal in its history.

Last year, Coritiba suffered from late payments from Atlético-MG, owner of the second largest debt in Brazil, when signing right-back Natanael. The player transferred to Belo Horizonte in an installment negotiation worth R$7.5 million, at the beginning of 2025. According to the Itatiaiapartner of UmDois Esportes, Galo only started paying in August.

Fernando Seabra’s decision to leave Coritiba for Vasco

Fernando Seabra became Vasco’s plan A in recent days after negotiations with Franclim Carvalho, Botafogo coach, failed.

The then Coritiba coach accepted the Rio club’s proposal last Wednesday (1st), after the coach normally led the training at CT da Graciosa, already in preparation for the training games against Internacional and Chapeconese. Vasco’s proposal for a higher salary for the entire coaching staff shook the coach.

Seabra spoke privately with some players in the group, confirming Vasco’s search and revealing that he was excited. He even asked some of the more experienced athletes for their opinion. Coxa, on the other hand, denied any success.

Behind the scenes, however, the move to Cruzmaltino depended solely on bureaucratic issues, such as salary settlement, commissions, etc. In Vasco, the transaction was considered certain, with only the payment of the fine remaining. Executive director Admar Lopes came to Curitiba to finalize the negotiation.

The coach’s manager, Hugo Magalhães, posted a photo celebrating and tagged the Rio club, indicating that the whole matter had been resolved, but there was a turnaround with Coritiba’s demand to receive the amount of the fine in cash. Magalhães himself offered help to pay part of the amount, which would later be reimbursed by Vasco.

Hired at the beginning of the season, Seabra led Coritiba in 28 games, with 11 wins, nine draws and eight defeats. Internally, the work was considered positive, with a long-term vision, room for evolution and identification with the proposal built since the beginning of the year.

Despite the impact of the change, Coritiba treats the moment calmly. The assessment at Graciosa’s CT is that the project was not only based on the coach, but on an idea of ​​a club, game model, squad management and sports planning. The main objective of the season remains to remain in Serie A.