Why Pumas UNAM sued Dani Alves before the CAS

Club Universidad Nacional (Pumas) filed a lawsuit against former Brazilian player Dani Alves before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for an alleged breach of contract between 2022 and 2023. The hearing is scheduled for March 25, 2025, under case file CAS 20224/A/10733 and the organization's resolution will be decisive in determining whether Pumas is entitled to the requested compensation or if the case is solved in favor of Alves.

Dani Alves joined the Mexican club in July 2022, however, in January 2023 the Aztec team terminated his contract following the player's arrest in Spain for an accusation of sexual assault on a woman at a nightclub in Barcelona, which resulted in a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence. At that time, Pumas president Leopoldo Silva stated that the decision was made to "terminate the employment contract with player Daniel Alves with justified cause as of this day".

Although initially Pumas stated that they wouldn't seek financial compensation, they have now decided to take legal action against Alves. The club is claiming compensation of approximately 5 million dollars, arguing that the player's abrupt departure affected both the team's sports planning and economic stability.

Dani Alves's defense could rely on Pumas's initial statement about the termination with justified cause to argue that the club has no right to demand payment. Additionally, they could argue that the player's legal situation in Spain was beyond his control and didn't represent a deliberate breach of his contract.

Currently, the former full-back has the benefit of parole, granted after the player posted bail to leave the penitentiary complex where he was held, and he lives in the Catalan city as required by the justice system. Some time after his arrest, he returned to playing soccer, participating in amateur matches at different sports venues in the city between July and August of last year. He was even recently seen playing wearing a Boca jersey.