Tension at Benfica: Ex-communications chief slams Luisão, cites ref assault | OneFootball

João Gabriel spoke out this Saturday, February 21, in a very critical manner regarding the position taken by Luisão after the alleged case of racism involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinícius Jr., in the match between Benfica and Real Madrid at Luz.

The former Benfica communications director begins by analyzing the reaction of the ex-captain, labeling it as reckless: "The first reaction was reckless and hasty, the lengthy statement 24 hours later was a clumsy attempt to justify the unjustifiable. To say that 'Benfica is his second skin' implies acting with memory, balance, and a sense of justice. When you lightly crucify a fellow professional, without irrefutable proof, recklessness and frivolity inevitably become part of the debate," he wrote on the social network 'LinkedIn'.

João Gabriel also recalls an old episode to illustrate Luisão's "incoherence": "In 2012, in a friendly match, Luisão assaulted a referee. It was in Germany, against Fortuna Düsseldorf. Benfica's professional structure mobilized and, fighting against the evidence of the images, managed to ensure that the punishment applied was symbolic given the gravity of what happened. I personally experienced that episode and everything that followed."

The former official drew a parallel between past and present: "14 years later, thousands of kilometers away, the same Luisão decides to 'condemn' a fellow professional who, by chance, now wears the skin that Luisão now claims as his second. The recklessness, frivolity, and partiality of the accusation reveal immaturity and a lack of balance. Luisão has learned nothing from what he has already experienced, and that says more about him than about what he says or thinks."

Finally, he commented on Luisão's journey within the Club: "He has, and will have, a place in Benfica's history, but he never had exemplary behavior as an athlete. Luís Filipe Vieira always met the demands of the then captain, who each year rendered the signed contract meaningless. Vieira kept increasing his salary and renewing his contracts, even when he was no longer the first choice. It was also the then president of Benfica who integrated him into the Club's structure when his playing career ended. After Vieira's arrest in 2021, Luisão was perhaps the only player who, in difficult times, ignored Vieira. A lack of gratitude also defines a person's character."

Luisão speaks about the criticism he received:

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