Eriksson in wrangle over Benfica cash

Sven-Goran Eriksson has confirmed that he is still locked in a financial dispute with Benfica dating back to his spell as the club’s manager more than a decade ago.

Eriksson was unable to confirm a report in Sweden that his solicitor has now started legal action against the Portuguese club.

This is said to relate to an estimated £300,000 (€436,134) allegedly owed to him in taxes which the club are claimed to have promised to pay on his behalf while he was manager there at the start of the 1990s.

Eriksson, who was back in Portugal today to tour England’s Euro 2004 training base, nevertheless confirmed that the matter had still not been settled.

“This is an old story from about 10 or 12 years ago when I worked with Benfica in the last years,” he revealed.

“The fact is that they still owe me money. For years, I have tried to talk to them through lawyers.

“I got a new lawyer involved in Portugal a couple of years ago to try and sort it out and I have given him permission to do whatever he has to do legally.

“I was surprised to see that it could now be going to court. I haven’t talked to the lawyer yet so I don’t know exactly what is happening. But maybe it is time after 12 years to do something.”