Noronha Lopes uses Sporting to criticise Rui Costa: tax pardon claim | OneFootball

João Noronha Lopes once again used Sporting as a weapon to criticize Rui Costa, president of Benfica. The two figures from the red club are the remaining candidates in the race for the presidency of their second circular rival, and the exchange of barbs has been constant.

He was asked whether the current Benfica president was "in the pocket" of Frederico Varandas and Sporting, as André Villas-Boas recently claimed.

"Villas-Boas should mind his own business and not meddle with Benfica. He doesn’t give us any lessons. I come from a time when a Benfica team would get changed in the corridors at Antas. I don’t accept moralizing. Last year we were completely outplayed and when that happens, we can’t stay silent," João Noronha Lopes began, responding to the Porto president.

The candidate for the Benfica elections continued: "Sporting received a tax pardon and there wasn’t a single word from the Benfica president. I would have requested a meeting and a report from the League. What happened put the clubs on an uneven playing field."

"I’m not afraid of Proença. When he tried to diminish Benfica regarding television rights, I wrote an opinion piece about it. After the Cup, the least Proença could have done was apologize to Benfica, and he shouldn’t have been sitting next to him two days later. It’s not a matter of protocol," he concluded, also leaving words for the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.