Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 11:59
Sevilla is experiencing a new episode in its prolonged internal war for control of the club, this time former president José María del Nido Benavente has been sanctioned with 36 games without access to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium. The measure, which will come into force on December 14, coinciding with the match against Celta de Vigo, arises as a result of an altercation that occurred on October 6 during the derby against Betis.
According to the complaint filed by the club’s lawyer, Lucas Fernández de Bobadilla, Del Nido scolded and shook him in the anteroom of the Sevilla stadium in an act recorded by security cameras. This confrontation occurred days after a court session in which Fernández recalled Del Nido’s criminal record, questioning his ability to lead the entity again. In the same match, Del Nido also accused another club lawyer, Alberto Pérez-Solano, of sympathizing with Betis after chants from rival fans.
Sevilla has applied its internal regulations to impose the sanction, which excludes Del Nido from any event at the Sánchez-Pizjuán for the next 36 matches. Despite presenting allegations, these were dismissed by the club’s disciplinary bodies. Given this situation, the former president has announced his intention to resort to ordinary justice to seek a precautionary suspension of the sanction, as reported by ABC.
A conflict that does not stop
Del Nido, who presided over Sevilla between 2002 and 2013, left the position after being imprisoned in 2014. During his absence, José Castro Carmona assumed the presidency, and currently his son, José María del Nido Carrasco, plays a prominent role in the address. Since his return, Del Nido Benavente has tried to regain control of the club, which has led to constant confrontations with the current board of directors.
The derby incident adds to a long list of disputes that keep Sevilla mired in an institutional soap opera. Despite efforts to stabilize management, the proxy war continues to leave headlines that cast a shadow over the club’s sporting panorama.
The farewell of Jesús Navas
The match on December 14 also marks a historic moment for the club, as it will be Jesús Navas’ last official match at the Sánchez-Pizjuán. However, the tension between Del Nido and the board threatens to overshadow this emotional farewell to the Sevilla captain.
With the sanction on the table and the courts as a last resort, the outcome of this conflict is far from being resolved, leaving the fans expectant about the institutional future of the Andalusian club.
