MARCELO BIELSA is suing former club Lille for £16.6million – and hit out in a French court after being interrupted for speaking over his permitted time.
On a video conference earlier today, the Leeds boss was given 15 minutes in his appeal over unpaid compensation following his 2017 sacking.
Marcelo Bielsa is in court to sue former side Lille for over £16mCredit: AFP or licensors
But Bielsa spoke for 45 minutes and became ‘angry’ when those overseeing proceedings spoke over him.
According to Get France Football News, the Argentine said: “I have suffered abuse and you will not allow me to complete my presentation.”
Lengthy presentations are par for the course with ‘El Loco’, who gave an extraordinary 66-minute one in 2019 after his staff were caught spying on Derby.
In December 2017, six months before his Elland Road arrival, he was fired after just 13 games for ‘serious fault’ with Lille in a relegation scrap.
Having not received the money he believed he was owed after signing a two-year deal worth £7.5m, Bielsa, 65, filed a lawsuit.
And he appealed the decision after the claim was rejected in March 2018 and he was ordered to pay £263,000 in damages.
The case centres on two contracts the ex-Argentina head coach signed at the time of his appointment at the Ligue 1 club in 2017.
One from February stated he was owed a bumper compensation package, including a ‘parachute’ clause which ‘permitted Bielsa to receive all of his remuneration in the event of an early termination of his contract, regardless of whether or not serious misconduct was committed’.
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However, the second document, signed in July 2017 and delivered to the French FA (LFP), did not mention a parachute clause.
Lille argue the one sent to the LFP was the only valid contract and that Bielsa was rightfully sacked.
They claim he used insulting language at staff, refused to ‘apply given instructions’ and was publicly disrespectful towards then owner Gerard Lopez and sporting director Marc Ingla.
The outcome of the case is not expected for around three months.
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Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani prepared for Marcelo Bielsa exit in summer
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
