João Diogo Manteigas: FC Porto must be punished, couldn't deny emails | OneFootball

João Diogo Manteigas launched harsh criticism at FC Porto following the conviction resulting from the ‘Emails Case’, an issue that also led Benfica to issue a statement on Friday. The lawyer, who was a candidate for the Benfica presidency in the last elections, also argues for a conviction in the sporting bodies, although he regrets that the club’s board never filed a complaint against the dragons with the Disciplinary Board.

“Benfica never complained about FC Porto to the FPF Disciplinary Board. It preferred to rely on an alleged disciplinary inquiry from 2017 against Porto SAD which, in the end, never existed. This is proven by the opening of the most recent case 73-2025/2026 of 21 March 2026 against Porto SAD and its former communications director. In short, there is a possibility of disciplinary limitations benefiting an abusive club that must be punished severely. Without mercy or pity. Even worse is the current Federation President possibly coming out to blame Benfica itself — such is the shamelessness we have already become used to,” one can read in a post published on LinkedIn, where he calls on the Benfica board for “courage”: “Will Benfica have the courage to go all the way and hold accountable those who harmed us directly and indirectly? Nothing and no one can go unpunished! Benfica’s members demand it!”.

The lawyer also recalls the history of this case, which has already become final in the courts, and even offers a suggestion on how to use the compensation money FC Porto will have to pay. “In 2025, the court handed a 4-year suspended sentence to the criminal who stole information from Benfica and shared it with the former communications director of Futebol Clube do Porto. Before that, the Media Regulatory Authority strongly condemned it and the courts convicted Futebol Clube do Porto, its SAD, Porto Media, Avenida dos Aliados, S.A., and some of their former employees. The compensation that FC Porto will pay Benfica — €605,300.90 plus the amount to be determined in enforcement proceedings — will never cover the damage caused. But it would be exemplary if the Benfica Foundation used this amount to promote integrity, responsibility, and transparency in sport with the Sport Integrity Global Alliance”.

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