logo
Pope's beloved team go on strike as unpaid players release furious statement saying ‘it's a mockery'

Pope's beloved team go on strike as unpaid players release furious statement saying ‘it's a mockery'

The Irish Sun16-05-2025
ARGENTINE side San Lorenzo — the late Pope Francis' favourite team — have gone on strike after unpaid players slammed their situation as a 'mockery.'
The Buenos Aires club is regarded as one of Argentina's top sides.
Advertisement
3
San Lorenzo players have gone on strike after not being paid since February
Credit: AP
3
The late Pope Francis supported the Argentine side
Credit: Getty
3
They paid tribute to him with a pitch-side statue last month
Credit: AFP
A statue was even unveiled of him by San Lorenzo's pitch following his passing.
And in the meantime, fans continue to dream of another title win, with their last victory coming in 2013 — a year before their one and only Copa Libertadores triumph.
But now, players at the club have decided to go on strike after revealing they have yet to be paid since February.
Advertisement
Stars including former Spain international Iker Munian, who played 560 times for
The decision comes 16 games into the Primera Division season, with San Lorenzo currently fourth in Group B behind Independiente, River Plate and Rosario Central.
Their next match is on Monday against Argentinos Juniors, who currently top Group A ahead of Boca Juniors.
And in a joint statement, San Lorenzo's players slammed the situation at the club.
Advertisement
Most read in Football
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
It read: "We have gone several months without receiving our salaries, which not only impacts our families but also jeopardises our professional performance. It's a mockery.
"However, we believe it is time to raise our voices. Recent public events feel like an insult to our work group. This is not just about money; it's about respect, dignity, and basic working conditions every player deserves.
World leaders pay tribute after death of Pope Francis
"We are not seeking conflict but a concrete and fair solution.'
Advertisement
New San Lorenzo president Julio Lopardo, who recently replaced Marcelo Moretta following an alleged bribery scandal, revealed he was doing everything possible to get the players paid.
He said: "The players' demands are understandable; the team has been enduring this situation for a long time—unfulfilled commitments and unfinalised agreements. This strike is their way to express their grievances.
'We have discussed the matter with the squad; they have made their case public, and everything is fine now. We are working toward an agreement to end the strike. The players will take the field and fight to win—they just wanted to be heard.'
Meanwhile, sporting director La Roca Sanchez added that an agreement over outstanding wages has already been struck.
Advertisement
He added: "The management is working to resolve everything as soon as possible and get everything back to normal. An agreement was reached to collect the outstanding balance and allow the players to focus on Monday's game. There is goodwill on both sides.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Newcastle ready to swoop for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko after Alexander Isak's bombshell bid to quit St James' Park
Newcastle ready to swoop for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko after Alexander Isak's bombshell bid to quit St James' Park

The Irish Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Irish Sun

Newcastle ready to swoop for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko after Alexander Isak's bombshell bid to quit St James' Park

NEWCASTLE UNITED are exploring a swoop for RB Leipzig's 22-year-old Benjamin Sesko as a possible Alexander Isak replacement. Isak rocked Newcastle on Thursday by telling them he wants to leave the club - with Liverpool ready to pounce for the £120million-rated striker. 6 RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko has emerged as a target for Newcastle united Credit: Getty 6 The magpies are scrambling to replace Alexander Isak he revealed his desire to leave the club Credit: Getty The club are exploring a move for the 22-year-old Slovenian, but the finances of such a deal are understood to be difficult for the North East club. Sesko was linked to The 6ft 5in striker signed a new contract last summer that saw him drop a £55million release clause. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL However, according to transfer guru The hitman netted 21 goals in 45 games last season across all competitions for The Magpies are also working on a £30million bid for The DR Congo international could be the latest Brentford star out the door following Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Isak, 25, spurred Newcastle to look at other options when the The Magpies, who had hoped to tie the Swede to a new mega-money contract, had claimed his Newcastle contract blunder could cost them Isak But Instead he has Howe stated Isak would 'absolutely' be on the plane after the 4-0 defeat at The Reds then hijacked Newcastle's move for Sun Sport reported how Isak's camp initially felt let down by Newcastle 12 months ago. 6 6 Isak has been at the centre of a transfer saga with Premier League champions Liverpool this window Credit: Getty 6 Eddie Howe has a lot of work to do if he wants to keep or replace Isak ready for the beginning of the season Credit: Getty That was due to the promise of a pay rise from his current £130,000-a-week contract made by the club's former co-owners One of the first decisions from the now ex-sporting director Paul Mitchell was to postpone negotiations due to his contract having four years to run and a feeling he was already handsomely paid. Despite Mitchell's departure and Newcastle's willingness to smash their £150,000-a-week pay ceiling to make him the best-paid player in their history, they now face a huge fight to hang on to their prized asset. Meanwhile, Alan Shearer slammed his former club and claimed it was 'ridiculous' that they didn't just tell the 'truth' about Isak wanting away. Toon's all-time top scorer told Betfair: 'It's ridiculous what Newcastle put out to say he wasn't on the trip because of a slight thigh injury. If they thought people wouldn't see through that - it was disappointing. 'They should've just told the truth straight away. I understand it's a very difficult situation for them but it is what it is. 'Isak has been brilliant for Newcastle, helped us achieve our dream of winning a trophy and if there's no way whatsoever that he can be persuaded to stay at Newcastle, then they have to get the best deal possible and if someone's prepared to pay what they want, you have to say thank you and build for the future.' Shearer added: 'There's no individual bigger than the football club. Newcastle will be losing a world class player if he goes. Players leave football clubs all the time and get replaced. If that's the case here, it's disappointing but you have to say thank you and move on.' 6 Away from the senior squad, Newcastle have made South Korean Park Seung-soo the latest wonderkid to join their ranks. The 18-year-old winger, the youngest professional goalscorer in South Korean football history, joined from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings. He is the latest talented teen to join the ranks on Tyneside following the recent captures of Spanish whizkid Antonio Cordero, Georgian forward Vakhtang Salia and Irish starlet Kyle Fitzgerald.

Formula E champion Oliver Rowland talks Ibiza trip, Max Verstappen friendship and being a girl dad
Formula E champion Oliver Rowland talks Ibiza trip, Max Verstappen friendship and being a girl dad

The Irish Sun

time4 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Formula E champion Oliver Rowland talks Ibiza trip, Max Verstappen friendship and being a girl dad

OLIVER ROWLAND will treat his Nissan team to a knees up in Ibiza after the season finale in London. The Barnsley-born 32-year-old was crowned Formula E world champion in Berlin last time out. 4 Oliver Rowland celebrated his maiden Formula E win with four-year-old daughter Harper at Legoland Credit: Getty 4 Harper congratulated her dad on the team radio when he sealed the championship in Berlin Credit: Getty 4 Oliver Rowland won his maiden Formula E world title in Berlin Credit: Getty 4 Rowland plans to treat his Nissan team to a celebratory holiday in Ibiza Credit: Getty Rowland was reduced to tears on his final lap and his four-year-old daughter Harper said on the team radio: 'Daddy, you're the world champion!' The British driver secured four wins and seven podiums with his team this season and it was his first championship in seven seasons in Formula E. Rowland isn't one for the glitz and glamour of motor-sport, and is quiet off the track, preferring to do his talking in the car. He has spent the past week celebrating his title by spending quality time with Harper and his wife Lauren. They even took a trip to Legoland where Rowland couldn't help coach his daughter on the smaller cars, although she was too young to get her driver's license. He said: "It was my daughter's birthday last Tuesday, so I spent the full day at Legoland celebrating I was absolutely knackered by the end of the day! "She wasn't tall enough to get her driver's license but she went on the baby cars and I was asking her to get her head down like they do in go karts it was so funny." Rowland has been known to celebrate his wins with a "few beers" this season, but he will be taking that up a notch with a team trip to Ibiza after this weekend's final race in London. Most read in Motorsport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS He added: "Since we're so close to City airport and all in London together I decided to invite all the engineers away with me. "I just thought it was something different and nice to do for them. Let them have a nice two or three days. Glamorous TikToker Bianca Bustamante gives behind-the-scenes look at a Formula E race week "I wanted to appreciate all the work that the whole team does and it was a gesture to show my appreciation. We can have a bit of fun together." Rowland has a presence in F1, and has been with Alpine for 10-years helping with testing. He also enjoyed a short stint as a junior driver for Williams in 2018. He still has a presence in the sport, mentoring F1 prospect and Red Bull junior driver, Arvid Lindblad. And is good pals with four-time world champion Rowland added: "He sent me a message on on Saturday night, telling me to score points and calm down a little bit, "Then on Sunday, he told me, well done so yeah, it was really nice for him, because I was feeling pretty down after Saturday's mistake and he reached out. "Just said 'yeah look, you got this, you're doing a good job'." Rowland's most treasured congratulatory message remains from his daughter Harper though. Read more on the Irish Sun Being a 'girl dad' is his biggest achievement and wife Lauren is pregnant with baby number 2. He added: "At the beginning I always wanted to have a boy but another girl like Harper would be super cute."

Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face rare ‘heavyweight who can cause him problems' following brutal Dubois KO
Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face rare ‘heavyweight who can cause him problems' following brutal Dubois KO

The Irish Sun

time5 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face rare ‘heavyweight who can cause him problems' following brutal Dubois KO

FANS believe that Oleksandr Usyk will come up against the one heavyweight he can "cause him problems." The Ukrainian fighter further punched his name in boxing history with his second Advertisement 3 Oleksandr Usyk beat Daniel Dubois on the weekend Credit: Getty 3 He has been ordered to fight Joshua Parker next Credit: Reuters 3 Fans think the Kiwi could cause Usyk issues Credit: Getty He is now on the lookout for his next opponent and fans are convinced of who it should be. Usyk has But he has been ordered to look further afield for his next entry into the ring. Advertisement READ MORE BOXING NEWS Fans are demanding that Usyk take on Kiwi fighter Joshua Parker, as he is the only remaining boxer who could challenge him. One posted: "Joseph Parker is the only heavyweight aside Fury who can give Usyk some problems, but Usyk still wins by stoppage, maybe." A second wrote: "Uysk can't win on stoppage. USYK on point. Parker will never quit." A third commented: "This would be a good fight." Advertisement Most read in Boxing Exclusive SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN A fourth said: "Parker has earned his shot. And I genuinely believe Parker is the best person to give Usyk an actual tough fight." Another added: "Parker might just be Usyk's boogeyman. Parker has that 'thing' in him." 'Laughed it off' - Joseph Parker reveals Usyk's blunt reaction after face-to-face challenge as rival opens door to Fury trilogy Usyk vs Dubois round by round as brutal knockout cements Ukrainian's place in history OLEKSANDR USYK cemented his name in the list of all-time boxing greats as he became a three-time undisputed champion with a fifth round knockout win over Daniel Dubois. Usyk dropped Dubois multiple times as he put any doubts about his first win over the Brit to bed by cementing the repeat and avoiding the revenge. Here, SunSport's ROUND ONE Usyk looks light on his toes, swaying side to side, Dubois plants his feet and walks forward. Stiff jab from Usyk appears to almost wake Dubois up and the Brit responds with a one-two. Usyk searches to the body with a left, blocks a right hand from Dubois and ends the round with a menacing combo. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 ROUND TWO Dubois lunges in with a right hand, Usyk expertly takes half a step back and responds with a counter left. Another right misses from Dubois and he takes a left cross which has him on shaky legs. Already Usyk is finding his rhythm, making Dubois miss and certainly making him pay. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 20 Dubois 18) ROUND THREE Usyk staggers back after a right hand from Dubois - maybe more off balance than hurt. Dubois charges forward with a left hook, right hand but Usyk covers up well. Huge left hook lands on the button from Usyk, sweat sprays off Dubois face. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 30 Dubois 27) ROUND FOUR Right uppercut lands on Usyk's belt-line in a genuine case of dejavu from low-blow gate in their first fight. Dubois traps Usyk in the corner, lands a right but the Ukrainian legend slips off before any troubling damage can be done. Left hand lands for Usyk but Dubois grabs on and closes the distance, smart defence to cap off his best round so far. Usyk 9 Dubois 10 (Usyk 39 Dubois 37) ROUND FIVE Right hook followed by a left hand lands for Usyk has Dubois teetering backwards. Dubois comes forward, charging at Usyk and the two trade off in the corner but DOWN GOES DUBOIS after a counter right hook. He makes it to his feet but is dropped with another left hook and the fight is over! Dubois fails to beat the count and Usyk is once again undisputed heavyweight world champion. Usyk wins by KO And fans will be pleased to discover that Usyk has reportedly been ordered to fight Parker by the WBO. Advertisement He will have to defend his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO heavyweight world titles against the New Zealander. The two fighters have 30 days to agree on a deal, and then there will be bids for the purse. Meanwhile, after beating Dubois, He said: "Left hook is like this [imitates a punch]. Advertisement "And that [is] Ivan. It's a Ukrainian name. Ivan is like a big guy who lives in a village who works. "'What is your name?' [In a heavy voice] 'My name is Ivan'. "It's hard, hard punch. Yeah, Ivan." The undefeated star revealed he wants to spend some time with his family before deciding on his next match. Advertisement He added: "I don't want anything next, this is enough. I want to rest now. I want to get home to my family and wife and my children. "I want to rest now but maybe - in two or three months - actually no, just rest." 'You just run out of things to say' – Usyk is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen OLEKSANDR USYK is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen. The Ukrainian Two of those came at heavyweight after he had already cleaned up the cruiserweight division. You just run out of things to say about Usyk. Everything that he does just impresses you more and more and more.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store