Manchester City duo clash with National Team supporters – Local media explain escalating incident | OneFootball

Manchester City had two of their star players in the spotlight on Tuesday evening when tense scenes unfolded after Portugal’s loss to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin. 

City captain Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias played just over an hour and 90 minutes respectively in Portugal’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat to the Republic of Ireland, wherein Cristiano Ronaldo was notably sent off. 

A brace from Troy Parrott saw third-placed Ireland overcome Roberto Martinez’s side, though Portugal remain at the pinnacle of Group F and still look favourites to top the group and qualify for next summer’s tournament. 

However, the spotlight was cast upon crowd behaviour shortly after the full-time whistle in Dublin as Manchester City pair Silva and Dias confronted a small section of Portugal supporters, as witnessed in a clip shown by Record and relayed by Sport Witness.

Former Chelsea and Benfica star Joao Felix also got involved by stepping in and appearing to hold Silva back while other players kept their distance. 

However, what added fuel to the fire was the allegation that some fans involved in the scuffle had visited the team hotel on the morning of the match. 

The Portuguese FA invites selected supporters to meet staff, directors and former internationals before each game to discuss footballing viewpoints from both sides of the touchline.

It’s thought that Silva and Dias recognised some faces in the crowd – which fuelled their frustration throughout the exchange – with the footage raising concerns about organisations and security as no staff or stewards appeared to de-escalate the conflict.

In the clip, commentators for Record criticised that absence and argued that senior figures such as Silva and Dias should never handle these situations alone. 

It’s reported that the Portuguese FA may now review its matchday protocol but further steps will depend on how the federation addresses the lack of supervision which allowed the confrontation to both start and escalate. 

Silva and Dias, two of Portugal’s most important players, are yet to comment on the situation but are likely to be involved when they host bottom-placed Armenia on Sunday afternoon. 

A win for Martinez’s side will book them a place in next summer’s FIFA World Cup, which is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.