Ponte Preta ordered to pay bakery debt amid financial crisis

A court in Campinas has ordered the Brazilian football club Ponte Preta to pay R$ 53,280.14 to a local bakery for unpaid food supplies dating back to May 2025. The bakery, located near the Moisés Lucarelli Stadium, filed the lawsuit after failing to receive payment for its services.

Judge Bruno Gonçalves Mauro Terra rejected the club's defense, which argued a lack of signed delivery receipts. The magistrate noted that public statements made by club representatives admitting to the debt reinforced the obligation to pay, characterizing the club's legal defense as contradictory behavior. The final amount will be adjusted for interest and monetary correction.

The ruling highlights the ongoing financial instability at Ponte Preta. The club's legal director has described the institution as being in a state of ‘almost insolvency.’ Recent audits conducted during failed negotiations for a football corporation (SAF) model estimated the club's total debt at approximately R$ 320 million, excluding roughly R$ 20 million in property tax debts.