The 'Ronaldo Receipt' Case Stirs Controversy Again

Juventus-Ronaldo Legal Battle Enters Third Stage

According to Ambassador Arjan, Italian club Juventus, following its legal dispute with Cristiano Ronaldo, has taken the decision to pay 9.8 million euros in back wages to the Portuguese star to the Supreme Court. Italian newspaper "Gazzetta dello Sport" reported that Juventus has filed an appeal and is now awaiting a hearing date. This case, which has its roots in the financial agreement during the Corona epidemic, has entered a new stage after several years.

The dispute over Ronaldo's unpaid wages began in 2021; When he was playing for Juventus, Italian football, like many leagues in the world, was struggling with the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. During that period, the club and the players reached an agreement on the postponement of part of the wages. However, the manner in which the Ronaldo deal was recorded and implemented later became one of Juventus' most controversial financial cases.

In April 2024, the arbitration authority handling the dispute ruled that Juventus must pay Ronaldo 9.8 million euros; A figure equal to half of the amount of 19.6 million euros demanded by this player. This amount was related to wages that Ronaldo believed he was still owed as part of the financial agreements of that period. In the arbitration ruling, the issue of interest and adjustment of the amount was also raised.

Juventus appealed this decision, but the Turin court rejected the club's appeal in January 2026 and upheld the arbitration award. The club is now trying to continue the legal process of the case by filing an appeal in the Supreme Court of Italy.

Juventus' position is that the previous judicial proceedings mainly focused on the formal and legal aspects of the arbitration process and did not fully examine the nature of the dispute. The club hopes that in the new phase, it will be possible to re-examine the legal basis of the decision. However, filing an appeal does not mean canceling the previous sentence and the final result will depend on the decision of the judicial authority.

"Ronaldo sheet"; A document from the pandemic era

One of the main axes of this case is a document known as the "Ronaldo Paper" in the Italian media. According to reports, Juventus management had reached an agreement with Ronaldo in 2021 to postpone the payment of around 19.5 million euros. This agreement was formed as the clubs struggled to manage the financial pressures caused by the suspension of matches and reduced revenues.

However, the way to record this financial commitment in the club's accounts became a sensitive issue. According to published reports, the amount in question was not reflected in Juventus' balance sheet, and the document related to the agreement was also seized during inspections related to the so-called "Prisma" case. The case investigated the way financial information was recorded and some of the club's transactions, and had wide management implications for Juventus.

Prisma's investigation eventually led to the resignation of Andrea Agnelli, then president of the club, and members of Juventus' board of directors. This incident turned into one of the most serious legal and managerial crises in the modern history of the club and put the issues related to financial reporting and transparency of accounts in the center of attention.

Ronaldo's salary case is part of this tense period, although his legal dispute with the club must be considered separately from other issues raised in the financial investigation. The main issue in the current litigation is whether Juventus is still obligated to pay the amount determined in the arbitration award or whether it can change it through an appeal.

Ronaldo left Juventus in the summer of 2021 and returned to Manchester United; However, the financial dispute surrounding his time in Turin continues years after his departure. Now that the case has been referred to the Supreme Court, the future of this lawsuit depends on a new trial and the final decision of the Italian judiciary.