by Mantas Aliukonis
With three rounds remaining until the end of the second A Lyga lap, it’s been more than two months since ‘The Knights” last tasted victory. The locker room is filled with a gloomy atmosphere and ongoing uncertainty about the club’s future –come June 20th and it will be two months since salaries were last paid—an ongoing issue that has plagued Riteriai this year.
This weekend, following another defeat in the national championship, two more players left the club. By mutual agreement, club captain and Polish full-back Jakub Wawszczyk, as well as Serbian attacking midfielder Lazar Sajčić, terminated their contracts and returned home.
Seven consecutive losses are not even the worst that could happen to the team owned by Jan Nevoina. The worst may still lie ahead.
Context
This winter, Singapore-based sports marketing and player representation company Red Card Global became the new shareholders of FK Riteriai.
Following approval of the deal by the Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF), something unexpected occurred—players stopped receiving their wages on time, and Red Card Global decided to withdraw from the project.
Representatives of Red Card Global claim they were misled and that Jan Nevoina failed to honor mutual agreements. They emphasize that the funds transferred to the club’s account were misused, violating the terms outlined in the contract.
Under the initial agreement, 4/7 of the shares were assigned to the Asian investors, with the remaining 3/7 retained by the long-time owner as collateral until full settlement. For these 4/7, Red Card Global was to pay €50,000.00, alongside with the initial transfer of €100,000.00 to cover operating expenses until the rest of the transition was settled. This money was transferred to the Riteriai accounts in good order.
These €100,000.00 from the new investors were to be used exclusively for club needs. However, as we had previously reported, some of that money ended up in accounts belonging to companies controlled by Nevoina (Lit-Invest, Zetus, and Ecoil – ed.) via a series of irregular withdrawals, ostensibly to settle debts previously not disclosed to the new owners.
As this was occurring, sporting director Vytautas Masaitis left the club in protest, sparking an investigation by Red Card Global into Riteriai affairs, which, eventually, led to their complete withdrawal from the acquisition.
Time is running out with no rescue in sight
Following the withdrawal of Red Card Global, the Lithuanian Football Federation stepped in with some bridging funds to keep the club afloat. At the time, it was stated that Riteriai will be sold to someone else in the immediate future.
However, according to our sources, Jan Nevoina currently has no viable options for selling the club, despite having publicly promised to present potential buyers by the end of May. Furthermore, there is growing speculation that the ongoing semblance of club management exists simply to complete the second cycle of the season, thereby preserving the team’s results in the league table.
It may also be an attempt to secure UEFA solidarity payments, which have been increasing annually. This year, a record €3 million will be distributed among clubs competing in the country’s top division.
LFF president Edgaras Stankevičius has previously stated that the situation with Riteriai is difficult, as the current management has no interest in continuing operations. In an effort to save the struggling club and preserve the 10-team A Lyga format, the LFF transferred a €50,000 financial injection to the club’s account in early April. Riteriai also received €40,000 from the LFF for participating in the First League and for youth integration.
Most of this funding was used to cover player wages and rent obligations for the month of February.
LFF will have to make a decision
In early April, Stankevičius told Baltic Football News that there had been a theoretical option to delegate a U-21 team based on the national youth squad to take Riteriai’s place—if such a reserve team had existed.
As that option was not available, another plan was pursued: to seek foreign investors and temporarily address the club’s debts with emergency funding.
“We still believe that Riteriai will remain in A Lyga this year, and there will be no need to field a youth team. But if it turns out that the club cannot be transferred or sold, we’ll have to consider when their withdrawal might happen.
According to the competition regulations, if two full cycles—eighteen matches—are played, the results remain valid and are not annulled.
If Riteriai withdraw before the second cycle is completed, their results would be annulled. In that case, we would begin thinking about a plan B…
Whether it’s assembling a team based on the national youth squad or another club stepping in to complete the season—whether this would be done on sporting or non-sporting grounds, and whether the results would count or not—is something we are not evaluating deeply at this stage,” said the LFF president in early May.
At present, the club continues to delay wage payments. According to our sources, the last salaries were paid at the end of May—for the month of March.
A month ago, during an appearance on Delfi, Jan Nevoina stated that the companies linked to the club (Lit-Invest, Zetus, and Ecoil – ed.) have debts totaling €2.5 million. This has also been confirmed by the LFF president, who noted that the club is on the brink of bankruptcy and is under pressure from multimillion-euro debts.
An audit conducted by the Singapore investors supports this. According to the our sources, the club was found to have approximately €2 million in undisclosed debt—one of the reasons the new investors chose to withdraw.
A familiar pattern
It is worth noting that two months ago, midfielder Roscello Vlijter left the team, which has twice finished as Lithuanian vice-champions. A month ago, goalkeeper Garisson Innocent also departed.
As early as last summer, media reports indicated that Riteriai were failing to pay players on time. By autumn, articles revealed that players were borrowing money for food and essential expenses.
On October 18 of last year, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) released a public statement saying that delayed payments at the club had continued for two months. In response, the PFA offered free meals and legal assistance to its members.
Mantas Aliukonis of Baltic Football News spoke about the situation with PFA president and former Lithuanian national team defender Arūnas Klimavičius.
– Arūnas, under which FIFA or UEFA regulations can players unilaterally terminate their contracts due to unpaid wages if a mutual agreement with the club cannot be reached?
– The criteria for termination are usually outlined in the sports contract or governed by LFF and FIFA regulations. Unilateral termination is a complex legal process where mistakes must be avoided. Remember the case of M. Maksimovas—he was penalized for improperly terminating his contract. In my professional experience, there has never been a case in Lithuanian football where a contract was unilaterally terminated over unpaid wages, though we have encountered such cases with Lithuanian players abroad. Unilateral termination without legal grounds can result in financial loss for the player.
– Do contracts include provisions for bankruptcy or delayed wages? What are the maximum legal timeframes before a player or agent can begin termination procedures?
– Bankruptcy is the worst-case scenario for players, as the chances of recovering money are minimal. PFA Lithuania helped recover about €100,000 for players through the FIFPRO/FIFA fund between 2021–2023, but that fund is currently inactive. At that time, it was the only available option, and we managed to assist a few players. In cases of delayed wages, the contract termination process can begin, but players cannot unilaterally leave the club. A mutual agreement and release documents are required.
– Are you currently advising Riteriai players, and do you believe the club will finish the season?
– We are in regular contact with FK Riteriai, and they are being advised. Their future is uncertain, but we hope a new investor will solve their financial problems.
– The transfer window opens on June 20. I have information that all foreign players are threatening to leave due to unpaid wages. Do you see a legal basis for this?
– The fastest way to terminate a contract is through mutual agreement, under terms acceptable to both the player and the club. A unilateral termination can take longer. Legally, the process begins when the player or agent formally contacts the club in writing about unpaid wages and initiates contract termination. The club then has 14 days to settle the debt. If it fails to do so, the player can proceed with lawful termination as outlined in the regulations. So yes, that route is legally possible, but the earliest departures from the club would begin around July 4,” said the PFA president.
Lazar Sajčić speaks out
Serbian midfielder Lazar Sajčić, who left the club last weekend, commented on the situation.
Sajčić, who scored 3 goals this season, had a contract that was due to run until the end of the season but terminated it by mutual agreement with the club.
“Jakub Wawszczyk and I terminated our contracts with ‘Riteriai’ by mutual agreement on Saturday. Other foreign players are still at the club, but I believe they will leave soon as well,” said the 28-year-old Serb.
Asked about the coaching staff, Sajčić confirmed that they remain at the club. When asked about the club’s prospects, the former Hegelmann player was candid:
“The situation at the club is very difficult. I truly hope it will somehow be resolved. The players and coaching staff are giving their all to stay united and fight together. I wish them the very best. I’m not afraid to speak out because everyone knows our situation and the direction things are heading. I personally hope someone steps in to help the club, because the team definitely deserves to finish the season together,” concluded the Belgrade-born player.
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