March 12 – Palmeiras will take legal action against John Textor after the Botafogo owner cited the club in accusations of match manipulation in the Brazilian game.
On Monday, Palmeiras said in a statement that the club “will take all appropriate legal measures against the owner of Botafogo, John Textor, so that he responds for the irresponsible and frivolous statements that, repeatedly, have involved the name of the current two-time Brazilian champions.”
“Accepting defeat, no matter how painful it may be, is the first step to be taken by those who want to rise again. Instead of managing a moment of instability with the coolness expected of a businessman, however, Textor prefers to behave like an old-fashioned caricatured top official.”
Last week, following Botafogo’s win against Red Bull Bragantino in the qualifiers of the Copa Libertadores, Textor lashed out and said, without offering any proof, that referees in the Brazilian top flight had been corrupted. He claimed that there was match-fixing in the league and revealed that he had recordings of referees complaining about not having received agreed bribes.
Textor mentioned Palmeiras by name.
“The report about match manipulation is related to a game that ended in 2022, it was a Palmeiras game. It appears that Palmeiras was not involved. It was Palmeiras – Fortaleza. This evidence was sent to the CBF, I don’t know who was involved in it, I wasn’t involved,” said Textor.
Last season, as Botafogo’s form slipped en route to missing out on a first league title since 1995, Textor also voiced his dismay about Palmeiras.
The statement added: “We emphasize our deepest respect for Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, a century-old club with which we had the privilege of competing in 2023 in one of the most exciting Brazilian championships in history.”
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