San Lorenzo hit with multi-million dollar embargo from former coach Damián Ayude

Former coach Damián Ayude has secured an embargo on the club's accounts for over 539 million pesos and US dollars, stemming from his dismissal in March after renewing his contract in February.

San Lorenzo de Almagro is facing a new court-ordered embargo due to a multi-million dollar claim from former head coach Damián Ayude. The club confirmed the measure, which impacts its bank accounts for a sum exceeding 539 million pesos and US dollars.

Ayude renewed his contract as manager until the end of 2026 on February 3rd, in a ceremony with then-president Sergio Costantino and secretary Martín Saiz. He was dismissed just one month later, on March 3rd, following a 5-2 loss to Defensa y Justicia at the Nuevo Gasómetro. Upon his departure, the coach stated: "Me voy dolido" (I leave hurt).

The financial claim

The embargo sought by Ayude includes 415,614,932 pesos in capital plus 124,000,000 pesos in interest in local currency. It also claims 48,558 US dollars in capital and 14,600 dollars in interest. This precautionary legal action adds to other pending claims against the club, such as one from former player Ignacio Piatti for over four million dollars.

San Lorenzo acknowledged the situation in an official statement. The club valued Ayude's work, who took charge of the first team in June 2025 after Miguel Ángel Russo's departure. "He was the person who took charge of the squad at a very difficult moment for the institution, who knew how to develop our youth players both in the Reserve team and the First team and, above all, showed respect and affection for the Club at all times," the text said.

Current sporting context

This legal conflict arrives during a challenging sporting period for San Lorenzo. The team sits tenth in the Liga Profesional Argentina with 11 points from 10 games, having managed only one win in its last five matches. Their next fixture is a visit to Defensa y Justicia, the same opponent that precipitated Ayude's exit. That match, played on March 16th, ended in a 5-2 defeat. Now, El Ciclón will seek a better result in their upcoming match against the league's third-placed side.

The club has committed to transparency regarding the legal process and promised to provide details on negotiations and possible solutions in the coming days. Meanwhile, the leadership must manage a delicate financial situation, with pending salary commitments and severance payments to previous technical staff.