Benfica v Gil Vicente referee cost Eagles 2 points last season | OneFootball

João Gonçalves was the referee chosen by the Portuguese Football Federation’s (FPF) Refereeing Council to officiate the clash between Benfica and Gil Vicente, corresponding to Matchday 5 of the Liga Portugal Betclic. The appointment has not gone unnoticed among Benfica fans, given the referee’s recent history with the Eagles.

The referee returns to competition after being sidelined in the previous round due to failing the fitness tests carried out two weeks ago. João Gonçalves was reassessed this Wednesday and, after passing the tests, was deemed fit to referee again.

The appointment draws particular attention because of an episode from last season that still remains in Benfica supporters’ memory. João Gonçalves was in charge of the 2-2 draw between Braga and Benfica, a match in which he disallowed a goal that could have put the Eagles ahead 3-2.

In the closing stages of the match, the referee awarded an attacking foul by Richard Ríos on Vítor Carvalho, ruling out Benfica’s goal. The incident was reviewed by VAR after the ball had gone into the net, but the decision stood. In the challenge for the ball, Ríos — who moved to Al Ittihad — put pressure on the Braga midfielder, who ended up falling to the ground.

The refereeing team’s view was that there had been an attacking foul, a decision that sparked strong criticism from the Benfica camp. At the end of the match, Nicolás Otamendi did not hide his anger at the refereeing. Now, João Gonçalves crosses paths with Benfica once again.

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