The consortium Fonte Nova Affairs & Participations (FNP), administrator of the Salvador's Arena Fonte Nova, said it was "surprised" that Brasileiro side Bahia will not renew its contract for the Arena Fonte Nova, according to Tiago Décimo of ESTADÃO. The club announced Monday that it would go back to playing its games at the Pituaçu stadium after "not coming to an agreement to renew the contract." Bahia's return to Pituaçu will be valid "as of April 7." In a statement, FNP said, "What surprised the FNP board of directors the most was that at no moment did the club inform [us] of its position, opting to do so through business. We reiterated our willingness to maintain the conversation, analyzing all the possibilities until we arrived at an agreement that would be good for both parties." Bahia said it "understands the difficulties of the consortium and respects the position" of the FNP but it "has an obligation to defend the interests" of the club and the fans. In a statement, Bahia said, "The Fonte Nova is, without a doubt, the home of our tricolors. During almost four months, the executive committee negotiated the renewal of the contract with the consortium responsible for administering the Arena. We looked to value the 'Golden Fans.' We tried to transform the Arena into our cauldron. Without success." However, Bahia "made it clear that it could go back to the Fonte Nova" (ESTADÃO, 3/30).
