Estradinha is sold at auction and Rio Branco doesn’t know its future

O Nelson Medrado Dias Stadiumthe traditional little roadhome of Rio Branco Sport Clube, from Paranaguá, went up for auction this Monday (25) and was purchased by Grupo Zonta, owner of the supermarket chain Condor, Super Atacadista and the Condor Auto Posto gas stations, for R$ 17 .9 million.

The auction was ordered by the Labor Court in July this year for a debt of R$1.8 million owed to player Bruno Gaúcho, who played for Rio Branco in 2015.

“From 2014 to 2019 there were more than 50 labor lawsuits, in addition to lawsuits in other areas. Fans need to understand that Rio Branco never survived on sponsors. If it weren’t for some businessmen having embraced Rio Branco’s cause in recent years, this institution would already would have succumbed a long time ago”, said the club president, Alex Jacomelduring live on the club’s channel.

The operation was initially scheduled for September 11th, with the initial value of R$35,836,610.00, but at that time, the stadium was not sold. In the second auction, this Monday, the initial price fell by 50%. The total land area of ​​Estradinha is 2,179m².

With the sale, the president stated during the broadcast that the club may face difficulties in participating in the second division of the Campeonato Paranaense next year. According to him, the club planned to become SAF, but with the relegation of Paranaense this year, it was not possible.

“Even though we have Carangueijão, Rio Branco needs to invest in a training center. We are looking at the possibility of delivering the structure by the end of the year but we have to plan ourselves financially to invest in the second division and Rio Branco needs to have home. So, our participation in the second division of the Campeonato Paranaense next year is still uncertain“, stated Jacomel.

According to Jacomel, Leão da Estradinha is still sunk in debts reaching R$6 million. With the sale of the stadium, the Fernando Charbub Farah municipal stadium, known as Caranguejão, could be Rio Branco’s new home, but, according to the club’s president, nothing has been agreed yet.

“It is an obligation of the public authorities to make Caranguejão available not only for training, but so that the stadium can be officially legalized so that Rio Branco can nominate it in its games”, said the president.

Estradinha was the most traditional stadium in Paranaguá and was built in 1927. According to the Rio Branco board, the Zonta Group has not yet announced the purpose for which it will use the land.