Norwegian football player Matthias Normann was ordered to pay compensation to FC Rostov

The International Football Federation (FIFA) tribunal sided with the Russian Premier League (RPL) club Rostov in its dispute with midfielder Matthias Normann. The 27-year-old Norwegian, who belonged to Rostov but played on loan for Dynamo, hastily left Russia in August this year, saying that he was afraid of drone attacks. That is, he actually refused to fulfill his obligations to both Rostov and Dynamo. The FIFA Tribunal considered Norman’s actions a violation of the contract and ordered him to pay compensation to Rostov. A decision on the Dynamo protest will be made early next year.

The FIFA Tribunal found the actions of Norwegian midfielder Matthias Normann to be in violation of his obligations to the RPL Rostov club. To him ordered to pay compensation for early and groundless termination of the contract, as reported in the Telegram channel of the Russian club. The consideration of Rostov’s application took place on November 15, but its results were made public only on Wednesday. The amount of compensation Norman must pay is not reported. It is reasonable to assume that Norman’s approximate transfer value could have been taken as a guide in determining the amount. According to calculations Transfermakrt, now he costs about €4 million. We add that in addition to Rostov, Dynamo Moscow also filed a complaint against the Norwegian’s actions. As reported TASS sources in the club, a decision on it is expected no earlier than the beginning of 2024.

Matthias Normann left Russia in August this year.

As the general director of Dynamo, for which the Norwegian played on loan, Pavel Pivovarov, reported, the footballer himself cited drone attacks on buildings located in the Moscow City quarter, where he lived, as the reason for this step. The club invited Matthias Normann to change his place of residence, but did not receive a positive response. After the Norwegian’s escape, the Russian Football Union immediately announced that it would not issue a transfer sheet to Norman. But this did not prevent the footballer from signing a contract with the Saudi club Ar-Raed. Neither party specified the terms of the agreement or its terms.

Norman’s version of fleeing Russia due to drone attacks raised questions from the very beginning.

The Norwegian, who has 12 appearances for the national team on his record, was bought by Rostov from the English Brighton back in 2019 (the transfer cost, according to Transfermakrt, was €1.7 million), when the footballer, in his own words, was already thought about retiring from his career. Norman played 51 official matches for Rostov, and then was loaned to another English club, Norwich, playing in the second strongest English division, for €2 million. However, in 2022, after the start of a special military operation, he returned to Russia (for this he was officially no longer called up to the Norwegian national team) and played on loan at Dynamo. At the Moscow club, according to RB Sport, Norman was paid €1.7 million per season. But Dynamo allegedly did not intend to renew the lease agreement. This means that Norman had to return to Rostov, where his salary would be reduced to €500 thousand per year.

Apparently, this is where the option with Ar-Raed came up. Let us remember that Saudi clubs have recently demonstrated miracles of generosity. The Saudi league ended the summer transfer window with the third-highest spending in the world (€873.5 million) on the purchase of new players, pushing aside the Italian, Spanish and French championships. So Ar-Raed, even if it is not the richest Saudi club (it is in penultimate place in the championship), could well have offered Norman conditions that could not be refused. But, probably, the football player did not expect that he would be defeated in the inevitable dispute with his Russian employers. Back in the summer, his lawyers planned to base their defense on the fact that the events taking place in Russia constitute force majeure. The FIFA Tribunal did not find this position of understanding. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, to which the Norwegian will most likely appeal, will apparently put an end to the confrontation between Norman and Russian clubs.

Alexander Petrov