Roger Junio reportedly settles CFR Cluj debt to lift two-year suspension

Roger Junio Rodrigues Figueira has reportedly reached an agreement with CFR Cluj that could lead to the lifting of his two-year suspension imposed by the Romanian Football Federation (FRF). If this settlement is finalized and the sanction removed, the player would be eligible to feature for Corvinul in their upcoming SuperLiga match against FCSB scheduled for Saturday at 20:30. This potential return follows a period where he was barred from official league competition due to financial disputes involving his former club.

The suspension stems from a ruling by the Tribunalul de Arbitraj Sportiv (TAS) on October 28, which sanctioned Roger Junio for failing to pay a debt of 38,831.28 euros owed to CFR Cluj. This specific financial obligation originated from an earlier TAS order dated September 24, 2024, which required both the player and St. Lorinc KFT to pay the sum jointly. The tribunal also stipulated that 5% annual interest must be added to the principal amount, calculated retroactively from February 2, 2023.

The immediate impact of the TAS sanction was evident in Corvinul’s recent schedule. While Roger Junio played 80 minutes in a Cupa României fixture against Rapid on October 27 that ended in a 0-0 draw, he was unavailable for domestic league action. He missed Corvinul’s subsequent 2-0 league victory over FC Argeș specifically because of the suspension enforced by the FRF based on the arbitration decision.

The debt adjudicated by TAS relates to a complex contractual history between the player and CFR Cluj. Roger Junio previously filed a claim at FIFA seeking approximately 395,000 euros from the club for unpaid wages and contract termination. FIFA initially ordered CFR Cluj to pay him about 104,000 euros before the club appealed the decision to TAS, resulting in the counter-ruling that established the player's current liability instead.

Roger Junio’s connection to CFR Cluj dates back to his tenure with the team between February 2022 and February 2023, during which he won the Romanian league title. The current reports regarding a settlement suggest a resolution to the financial dispute that triggered the ban, though the eligibility for the FCSB match remains contingent upon the formal processing of the agreement and the subsequent lifting of the FRF suspension.