Poisoned dog, unpaid salary, his wife trapped… Bernardoni’s ordeal in Turkey

After spending his entire career in France, Paul Bernardoni left Angers last summer, aged 26, for Turkish club Konyaspor, who have played in the first division since 2013. There, nothing happened. It went as planned for the former France international. Optimist (18 caps). The goalkeeper, like many other footballers in this country, suffered from late payment of his salary.

“I had doubts», swears Bernardo in a newspaper column Parisian . Confirmed by other players who passed through Turkey, who told him that “You will be late for a month or two but in the end, you will get everything back», launched the Avery native. After two months at Konyaspor he found nothing. Disgusted by his leaders’ lack of consideration, Bernardoni approached FIFA, which initiated the first payment. But the leaders did not appreciate it. “Then no pay for three and a half months until I terminate my contract», concerning former doormen of Angers, Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne and Nîmes.

A month’s salary which he never received

Bernardoni, also surprised by the absence of a translator on site that he had been promised, said he had left money on the table. But he does not, on the contrary, make the central issue of his misfortunes in Turkey. “Too bad if it makes you smile, but my dog, who has been with me since the beginning of my career, was poisoned, Bernardoni shares. There are many stray dogs and people don’t like them very much. The death of my dog ​​accelerated my desire to leave this country.» And perhaps even his loneliness, his wife had the hardest time following him.

“There was a visa problem with my wife. She had a three-month-old baby girl, and the club promised to look after her so she would stay. There too, nothing», condemns Bernardoni. A starter in the 17 Konyaspor matches for which he was available, the French goalkeeper joined Yverdon Sport, 9th in the Swiss Championship, this winter. He is committed to it until June 30. Konyaspor is 18th in the Turkish Championship, in a relegation position.

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