Sporting v Nacional referee has a record that's a nightmare for the Lions | OneFootball

The Arbitration Council of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced last Wednesday, September 2, the refereeing team appointed for Matchday 5 of Liga Portugal Betclic. João Pinheiro was chosen to officiate the match between Sporting and Nacional.

The referee from the Braga Football Association was selected as the main official for the clash and will have Hugo Marques and Jorge Fernandes as assistants. Fábio Melo will be the fourth official, while VAR will be handled by Pedro Ferreira. Nuno Eiras will be the AVAR.

João Pinheiro’s record when refereeing Sporting is not at all favorable to the Lions. In a total of 36 matches officiated by the AF Braga referee, the green-and-whites have won only 15 times, drawn 11, and lost on the other 10 occasions.

Sporting’s most recent complaint about João Pinheiro dates back to the derby in the penultimate round of last season, 2024/25, against Benfica at the Estádio da Luz, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The referee failed to send off Nicolás Otamendi despite a clear red-card offense as early as the 17th minute of the match. The Lions ultimately had to postpone sealing back-to-back titles until the final round.

The green-and-white side return to the pitch next Saturday, September 3, against Nacional. The match, valid for Matchday 5 of the Liga Portugal Betclic, against the island team, will be played at 8:30 pm at the José Alvalade Stadium.

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