Primeira Liga side União da Madeira "does not exclude the possibility of 'demanding'" €11M ($12.1M) from the Madeira, Portugal regional government if the club does not receive the right to host its "big three" matches at Barreiros Stadium, according to Márcio Berenguer of PUBLICO. União President Filipe Silva "guarantees to be in possession of documents" proving that the previous government awarded €11M to the club in order to build the stadium. But, during former President Alberto João Jardim's term, the club "transferred the rights" to use the stadium to Primeira Liga side Marítimo. Silva said, "I have the documents with me: either the government solves this problem once and for all and allows União to play at Barreiros, according to the previous agreement to the transfer of the stadium [to Marítimo], or I'll be forced to press the government. ... There were promises made by the previous government that were never fulfilled." Regulations from the Primeira Liga said that newly promoted clubs "must play in stadiums that have a minimum of 2,500 seats" within the first year and with a 4,000-seat minimum within the second. However, since União does not have its own stadium, only two others in Madeira "meet the requirements" of the Primeira Liga: Nacional stadium and Barreiros. Nacional President Rui Alves has already made that stadium available, but União "insists" on using Barreiros for its central location and to "defend its rights." Silva: "It was a historic mistake, delivering a great public [stadium] to only one club, without thinking of the region's future. Now, it's União that really need it (a suitable stadium), but tomorrow it could be another club" (PUBLICO, 7/13).
