Benfica protest refereeing as Mário Branco visits ref after Arouca match

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·15 March 2026

Benfica protest refereeing as Mário Branco visits ref after Arouca match

Benfica ended the game against Arouca with Mário Branco heading to the referee's locker room at the end of the match to express the dissatisfaction of the team.

According to the information gathered, Benfica's general director expressed the club's outrage at José Bessa's performance, in an approach marked by displeasure regarding the criteria adopted throughout the match.

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This is yet another episode that can be framed as an attempt to pressure the referees and reveals behavior that is unacceptable towards a refereeing team. It remains to be seen whether the case will have further developments on a disciplinary or institutional level, after a night when refereeing was at the center of attention.

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

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Benfica protest refereeing as Mário Branco visits ref after Arouca match | OneFootball

Benfica protest refereeing as Mário Branco visits ref after Arouca match

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