Benfica call for action after Fábio Veríssimo’s claims | OneFootball

Benfica responded vehemently to referee Fábio Veríssimo's report, which alleged an attempted coercion by FC Porto during the halftime of the match against SC Braga, held on Sunday at Estádio do Dragão and concluded with a 2-1 victory for FC Porto.

In the document signed by the judge from the Leiria Football Association, it is mentioned that upon returning to the locker room at halftime, he found a television broadcasting images of controversial plays from the first half, which FC Porto considered to have been detrimental. The matter is under investigation by the competent authorities.

In an official statement released on Monday night, Benfica called for a swift and firm intervention by Liga Portugal, the Refereeing Council, and the Disciplinary Council of the FPF.

“Sport Lisboa e Benfica demands that the League, the Refereeing Council, and the Disciplinary Council act urgently in light of the public information about a serious coercion of the referee in the FC Porto–SC Braga match,” the statement reads.

The club from Luz considers the situation “serious” and believes that “it does not dignify nor lend credibility to Portuguese football,” emphasizing that “exemplary consequences are imperative.”

“Sport Lisboa e Benfica will not tolerate any passivity or delays in this matter,” the statement concludes.

The case may lead to disciplinary consequences

The complaint filed by Fábio Veríssimo is expected to be reviewed by the Disciplinary Council of the Portuguese Football Federation, which will assess whether there are grounds to initiate proceedings against FC Porto. So far, the blue and white club has not publicly commented on the allegations.

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