19.03.2020 - 09:18 | Source: Blick/Transfermarkt | Reading Time: 2 mins

Song, Doumbia & Co.

FC Sion dismiss eight players without notice - three of the seven most valuable released

FC Sion have dismissed eight players without notice, according to a report by Swiss newspaper Blick, among them former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alex Song, as well as the most valuable player in the squad, Pajtim Kasami, and captain Xavier Kouassi.

Market Value Alex Song Defensive Midfield $ 440 Th. 440

In the case, in which the contracts of eight players of the Super League squad have been terminated in total, an application for short-time working because of the corona crisis has reportedly been handed in. From the players’ side, accusations emerged that they were given no time to solve this matter legally, however. The Swiss players’ union filed a protest.

Market Value X. Kouassi Defensive Midfield $ 1.10 m

According to the report, in which the agent of former Gunner Johan Djourou has his say among others, it is said that in addition to Song, Kasami and Kouassi, five further players were dismissed: Ermir Lenjani, Seydou Doumbia, Mickaël Facchinetti, Christian Zock and Birama Ndoye.

Agent criticises Sion: “Impossible to clear up matter seriously”

All players are understood to have received a document containing an application for short-time working before. As Djourou’s agent Costa Bonato criticises, however, there were only few hours given to react. Apparently, the document arrived on Wednesday and required an answer until noon on the same day. “In this short period of time, it was impossible to clear up the matter seriously,” Bonato said. “And from the club, nobody was available for follow-up requests.” A few players therefore did not even react to the document and others only marked “I do not accept the proposal” with a cross.

Squad in detail Sion's players sorted by market value Click here for ranking The club reacted on the matter towards the newspaper with a letter, which the outlet quotes with words as “good reasons” and “force majeure”. In this case, it is about the corona crisis and missing revenues. “We are robbed of all our income,” the report cites the document. “We are prohibited from offering them their working capacity and they are prohibited from delivering their performance.”

Subsequently, the Swiss Association of Football Players (SAFP) reacted as well, according to Blick, and filed a protest: “We expect that these improper dismissals will be revoked immediately.” The reason of “force majeure” would not be acceptable in the context of the corona crisis.

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