On August 26, several members of the Lleida Esportiu staff who ended their contract on June 30 issued a statement denouncing that the Catalan club would not let them disengage and sign for other entities due to the ERTE due to force majeure that began when suspended the competition for COVID-19, in March: “Lleida Esportiu is hindering our possibility of joining other teams for the 2020-21 season, publicly stating that we remain linked to the club and even threatening legal action against teams that may be interested in us as footballers“.
A situation that, 12 days later, remains. The ilerdense club replied to this statement shortly after. “To date neither the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) nor the Higher Sports Council (CSD) have said anything about the end of the 19-20 season and the start of the 20-21 season is in a 'sub iudice 'awaiting judicial remedies “. The ilerdense club, in the midst of fighting for the playoff when the competition was suspended, immediately denounced the RFEF for resolving the competition in that way.
Faced with this situation, the players went further: “It is the only club in the country that is carrying out these practices that are so harmful to footballers, which we show so that it is known to all football agents, including our teammates. by profession, “the statement said. Lleida has not resumed training, although these players suggest that they are training a group of ten Under-23 players without a record in the field of Roselló Street.
While waiting for this situation to be resolved without going to court, the players also report defaults. “Lleida Esportiu has outstanding debts with us corresponding to the 19-20 season”, while the club, for its part, denies it: “It is false, we refer to the statement from the RFEF and the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE) on August 14”. Some players even suggest that in the contracts they appear as analysts and not as players. Last February another four players, who were no longer in the team, also denounced the entity for non-payments.