Inter Milan has officially resolved the prolonged dispute with Sporting Lisbon regarding Joao Mario, as outlined in the club’s financial report for the 2024–25 season.
The conflict originated in 2020 when the Portuguese midfielder, currently with AEK Athens, was loaned from Inter to Sporting, later moving to Benfica as a free agent the following year.
Sporting alleged that Inter violated an “anti-rival” clause and sought €30 million in compensation, claiming that the termination of his contract by Inter indirectly enabled his transfer to their Lisbon rivals.
As stated in the Nerazzurri’s latest financial report, this issue has now been officially closed.
Both FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of Inter.
FIFA had dismissed Sporting’s initial complaint back in 2023, and CAS later rejected their appeal earlier this year.
Inter Resolved Joao Mario Dispute with Sporting
As no new appeal was lodged within the specified legal timeframe, this decision is now considered final and binding.
Inter has stated that “the case is fully archived,” bringing the matter to a close.
However, as reported by A Bola, it was noted that CAS acknowledged some aspects of the “economic logic” surrounding the original transaction remained ambiguous.
This included questioning why Inter opted to terminate the player’s contract instead of selling him to Sporting and how Benfica accounted for his acquisition despite him being a free agent.
Nevertheless, from Inter’s viewpoint, this ruling marks a conclusive end to a complicated international dispute that has overshadowed their financial statements for several seasons.