Decisionofthe PlayersStatusChamber passedon6November2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningthecoachGianlucaAtzori BY: JesúsARROYO(Spain),SingleJudgeofthePlayersStatusChamber CLAIMANT: GianlucaAtzori,Italy RepresentedbyLoizosHadjidemetriou RESPONDENT:FLORIANA,Malta I.Factsofthecase 1.On12June2021,theItaliancoach,GianlucaAtzori(hereinafter:Claimantorcoach)andtheMalteseclub,Floriana(hereinafter:cluborRespondent)concludedanemploymentcontract(hereinafter:contract1)validasfrom1July2021untiltheendoftheseason2022/2023. 2.TheClaimantwasemployedasheadcoach. 3.On1April2022,thepartiesconcludedabonusagreement(hereinafter:bonusagreement1),accordingtowhichtheclubundertooktopaythefollowingbonusessplitbetween32persons(playersandstaff)listed: -EUR100,000incasetheteamwouldwintheMFAChampionship2021-22; -EUR50,000incasetheteamwouldwinqualificationtoanUEFACompetition. 4.On1April2022,thepartiesconcludedanotherbonusagreement(hereinafter:bonusagreement2),accordingtowhichtheclubundertooktopaythefollowingbonusessplitbetween27persons(playersandstaff)listed: -EUR100,000incasetheteamwouldwinqualificationtoanUEFACompetition. 5.On11August2022,thepartiesconcludedanewemploymentcontract(hereinafter:contract2)validasfrom1July2022untilthe“lastFlorianaFCcompetitivematchofseason2023/2024”. 6.TheClaimantwasemployedasheadcoach. 7.Accordingtocontract2,theRespondentundertooktopaytheClaimantthefollowingmonies: -EUR3,500net(EUR4,011.32gross)asmonthlysalary; -EUR5,000as“performancebonus”on30November2022; -EUR5,000as“performancebonus”on28February2023; -EUR5,000as“performancebonus”on31May2023; -EUR5,000as“performancebonus”on30November2023; -EUR5,000as“performancebonus”on28February2024; -EUR5,000as“performancebonus”on31May2024. 8.Art.2.2.ofcontract2establishes:“TheHeadcoachwillbepaidaone-timebonusof€10,000iftheteamwinsthePremierLeagueoraone-timebonusof€5,000iftheteamqualifiesforparticipationinUEFAEuropa/ConferenceLeague.” 9.Art.5.3ofcontract2readsasfollows:“IncaseofanydisputearisingoutofthisContract,thepartiesagreethattheyshallfirsttrytosettleitinanamicablemanner.Ifsuchsolutionisnotfound,theaggrievedpartyshallfileacomplaintwiththecompetentboardoftheMaltaFootballAssociationtodecidesuchdispute.” 10.Art.3.4ofcontract2states:“TheHeadcoachistoprovidehisexpertisetotheTechnicalteamwhenconsideringnewsigningsfortheSeniorSquad.Likewise,heistoprovideinputtotheTechnicalteamwhenconsideringsellingorloaningofFlorianaFootballClubplayers.” 11.Afterthelastmatchoftheseason2022/2023on21April2023,thecoach(andhisstaff)leftMaltaandreturnedtoItalyforholidays. 12.On21April2023,theClaimantputtheRespondentindefaultandrequestedpaymentofEUR23,287,correspondingtothesalariesofMarchandApril2023(2xEUR4,011.32)aswellasbonuses.Herequestedpaymentwithin15days. 13.Between21and22April2023,thecoachingstaffwasinvitedviaWhatsAppchattoapersonalmeetingwiththeclubtakingplacebetween24and26April2023. 14.ThecoachrepliedthathewouldtakepartinthemeetingviaVideo-call. 15.On22April2023(intheevening),theclubstatedthatthecoachwasnotabletomeetinpersonsinceheleftthecountry.TheclubissuedadisciplinarywarningandrequestedthecoachtoreturntoMaltaimmediately. 16.On25April2023,theclubsentasecondlettertothecoach,requestinghimtoreturntotheclub“immediateandbynolaterthanthe26thofApril2023”. 17.On26April2023,theclubsentathirdlettertothecoachas“thirdandfinalwarning”.Theclubrequestedhimtoreturntowork. 18.On27April2023,thecoachrepliedtotheclubstatingthathedoesnotunderstandtheclub’sactionsasitwasdulyinformedabouthisabsence.Furtherheheldthatitwasnormalthatplayer’sandstaffleftMaltaafterthelastmatchoftheseason,asinpreviousyears.Thecoachalsostatedthathehadtoundergotreatmentregardinghisknee.HeofferedagaintotakepartinthemeetingsviavideocallortotraveltoMaltaafter6May2023,thedateofhisMRIregardingthekneeinjury. 19.On28April2023,theclub’svicepresidentcontactedthecoachviaWhatsAppandofferedtermsforaterminationagreement,whichwasrejectedbythecoach. 20.On2May2023,theclub’svicepresidentmadeanotherproposaltothecoachinordertoterminatethecontract,followedbyacounterproposalofthecoach.Noagreementwasreached. 21.On7May2023(18:13CET),theclubsentanemailrequestingthecoachtoattendameetinginpersoninMaltathenextday. 22.On9May2023,theclubrequestedthecoachtoattendameetingofthe“disciplinaryboard”forthefollowingday.Theemailcontainedaletteroftheclubaddressedtothedisciplinaryboard,whichstatedthattheclub“seekstheterminationofthecontract”basedonthecoach’s“breaches”. 23.On9May2023,thecoachterminatedhiscontractwiththeclubinvoking“art.14and14bisRSTP”,duetotheoutstandingremuneration. 24.On10May2023,theclubinitiateddisciplinaryproceedingsagainstthecoach. 25.On16May2023,theNDRCoftheMalteseFA(hereinafter:MFANDRC)contactedthecoachrequestinghimtofillinaformandinformedthecoachthattheclublodgedaclaimrequestingEUR49,602fromhimduetoanallegedbreachofcontract. 26.On19May2023,theNDRCoftheMalteseFAcontactedthecoachagainandrequestedhimtoattendameetingofthe“complaintsboardtobeheldonMonday5June2023at5.30pmattheHQoftheMaltaFootballAssociation”. 27.On5June2023,th