Rui Costa hits back at Noronha Lopes, warns on Benfica elections | OneFootball

João Noronha Lopes accused Rui Costa of having been a "campaign flag" for Vale e Azevedo upon his return to Benfica. The current president of the Eagles did not appreciate the insinuations made by his opponent in the Luz club elections and responded in kind.

"A lot is said, and given the responsibility we have towards the members, we have to say things as they are, truthfully. Not everything goes when it comes to being elected president of Benfica. People know me, I didn't just fall in here out of nowhere, I'm not a fair-weather Benfica supporter, I've always been at the service of this club and things must be said with the responsibility that these positions demand. I have never in my life been a campaign flag for Vale e Azevedo, there was an agreement that I would return to Benfica with Vale e Azevedo, that was explained, more than explained at the time, and you can go and get all the recordings from back then, but you have to show them from start to finish, in which I said, more than once in my life, that my intention was to return to Benfica, whether with Vale e Azevedo or another president," he said.

"You can go and find my statements from that time, I was 24 years old. But, interestingly, it's important to understand the story. What was said yesterday about that situation... not even Vale e Azevedo won those elections, it was Manuel Damásio. You need to know Benfica's history to say things as they are. Not everything goes, there must be respect. This is who I am. If I am elected, it's because the members want me to remain president, I will never impose myself on the members, I will always be true to myself, for better or worse, that's why people know me and that's why I received that vote of confidence. Things need to be said as they are," admitted Rui Costa.

As for the elections on November 8, Rui Costa was clear. "The second round starts from zero. Obviously, the results of the first round were satisfactory, because I ended up winning, but we don't go into the second round with that score, it's not like being ahead 2-0 or 3-0 at halftime. We're starting from zero and for that, what was done in the first round needs to be repeated in the second."

To conclude, the president of Benfica called for massive mobilization for Saturday: "I urge everyone to vote, especially because we want to break the record of 85,000, which was extraordinary, trusting that the members who voted for me will maintain that trust. First of all, I will try not to lose the electorate from the first round and, like the other candidate, try to gain a bit more support elsewhere to win the majority. But we start from zero."

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