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Lille (France) (AFP) – Leeds United’s Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa on Friday lost a 19 million euros ($22 million) damages claim against French club Lille, though the ruling by a French industrial tribunal is subject to appeal.
Bielsa, who will have to pay 5,000 euros in costs, has a month to appeal after the tribunal found in favour of Lille, who sacked him as coach in December 2017, only four months after he took the reins of the Ligue 1 side.
Bielsa had testified by video link in February that relations between himself and sporting director Luis Campos, advisor to then club chairman Gerard Lopez, were &nbsp;poor.&nbsp;
He said he endured two months of harassment which &nbsp;undermined his authority and was designed to push him to resign.&nbsp;
Bielsa said a pre-contract agreement included a clause that in the event of early termination he would have his contract fully paid, meaning he would receive more than 12 million euros. He also claimed 6 million euros in damages and interest.
But the tribunal found that the contract he eventually signed did not have that provision.
After a poor run of form, the club were in the drop zone when the 65-year-old was suspended and then sacked for misconduct over his poor relationship with staff.&nbsp;
“I think the (tribunal’s) decision is a fair one,” Lille lawyer Bertrand Wambeke told AFP.
Bielsa’s counsel Benjamin Cabagno did not immediately comment.
The ruling is a relief to Lille, whose finances are precarious and have been made worse by the fallout from the pandemic.
Luxembourg-based investment fund Merlyn Partners, which took over in January, injected 50 million euros to keep the club afloat.&nbsp;
After Lille won the Ligue 1 title, the owners allowed Christophe Galtier, who replaced Bielsa in December 2017, to join Nice who paid three million euros to secure his services.
Lille have yet to name a replacement for Galtier.

Bielsa loses Lille dismissal claim

Bielsa loses Lille dismissal claim - World Soccer Talk

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