Portuguese giants Benfica are demanding 7.5 million euros (NZD$12.64 million) in compensation from former coach Jorge Jesus who joined bitter rivals Sporting Lisbon last June, a club official told Portuguese daily Expresso.
Jorge Jesus "unilaterally terminated the contract that bound him to the club and must pay the required compensation," club spokesman Joao Gabriel said.
Benfica are also refusing to pay 61-year-old Jesus his salary for the month of June on the grounds that their Lisbon rivals officially hired him on June 5 on a three-year deal.
According to press reports, Jesus, who in his six-year spell at Benfica guided them to three league crowns including the last two becoming the first Benfica coach since Sven-Goran Eriksson in the early 80's to achieve successive championship successes, will be paid an annual salary of six million euros at Sporting, two million more than he received with Benfica where he coached for six years.
Sporting - for whom Jesus's father played and where he himself came through their youth system - won the Portuguese SuperCup title on August 9, beating Benfica 1-0.
Benfica have won the league title a record 34 times, with Sporting 18-time champions.
Sporting host CSKA Moscow in a Champions League playoff first leg fixture.
AFP
