Former top-tier Portuguese footballers are pursuing legal action against Anadia FC, alleging the club unlawfully terminated their contracts without just cause.
Diogo Viana, a 35-year-old right-back who previously played for Sporting and FC Porto, made his accusations public Wednesday. He stated his contract with Anadia FC SAD was ended by President Vitor Raposo and Sporting Director André Nogueira without justification.
“For the first time in my sporting career, I felt completely disrespected as a person and professional,” Viana said in a public statement. He announced that he has initiated legal proceedings to claim his rights after what he termed a “dismissal without just cause.”
Viana confirmed he is now a free agent and has the backing of the Professional Football Players’ Union, including its President, Joaquim Evangelista.
Viana is not the only player to make such claims. Fábio Fortes, another former Anadia player, also reported his contract was terminated without just cause on November 17, issuing a statement similar to Viana’s.
Anadia FC has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that all contract terminations were handled legally. The club stated there was “no unlawful dismissal.”
In its response, Anadia explained that decisions regarding player contracts stemmed from “internal assessments.” These evaluations, conducted by the technical team, sporting director, and administration, considered both technical and behavioral criteria.
The club maintains it proposed “amicable and balanced solutions” to the players. When agreements could not be reached, Anadia proceeded with terminations “under the terms provided in the contract and in the law.”
“The process was conducted with total rigor and respect for applicable norms,” the club stated. Each athlete reportedly received prior notice and formal communication of their termination with the appropriate legal context.
Anadia also noted the “curious” timing of Viana’s public denunciation. His statement emerged about four weeks after his contract rescission, unlike Fortes who voiced indignation “practically immediately.”
The club pointed out a “coincidence in style, structure, and narrative framing” between the two players’ statements. Anadia suggested that “certain public manifestations seem to emerge not at the time of events, but at the most convenient moment.”