Pote threw cards onto the pitch at the Dragão against FC Porto | OneFootball

Pedro Gonçalves, known as Pote, was at the center of a controversial moment in the clash between FC Porto and Sporting in the second leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals at the Estádio do Dragão.

Still in the first half, while he was on the bench, the Sporting player threw cardboard pieces from the stands onto the pitch. The gesture was seen as unsporting conduct at a time when the match was in progress and could have been disrupted by the presence of those papers on the field.

The incident sparked protests from FC Porto, with complaints made to referee Miguel Nogueira at half-time. Footage of the moment shows Pote picking up the papers and throwing them into the playing area, in behavior that drew criticism for attempting to delay the match.

The episode ended up marking an already tense first half at the Dragão, in a high-intensity clássico with the refereeing also under scrutiny in several incidents, clearly to the detriment of FC Porto. The Portugal international’s action thus joined the most debated moments of a tie that decided who would reach the Portuguese Cup final.

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