Referee who let Sporting off a penalty to take charge of Rio Ave v Benfica | OneFootball

Cláudio Pereira is the referee chosen by the Arbitration Council for the Rio Ave – Benfica match. The referee from the Aveiro Football Association will have Tiago Costa and João Bessa Silva as assistants. Fábio Melo will take on the role of fourth official, while Pedro Ferreira will be in charge of VAR, assisted by Jorge Fernandes.

Cláudio Pereira chosen for Rio Ave - Benfica

The last match refereed by him involving the Eagles brings back good memories for Benfica fans. Cláudio Pereira was present at the recent 3-0 victory over Braga in the semi-finals of the League Cup. In that match in Leiria, the red team secured their place in the final with a solid performance.

Looking at the overall record before this Rio Ave – Benfica, the stats are not very positive for the Luz side, who will have an important absence. In eight matches officiated by Cláudio Pereira, the Luz club has never tasted defeat, but has only won half of the games, with four wins and four draws.

Cláudio Pereira was marked by a huge controversy last season involving Sporting. In the match against Santa Clara, which the Lions won by the narrowest of margins, a clear penalty was left uncalled. That victory in the Azores ended up being decisive in the final reckoning for the national title.

Benfica’s next match is scheduled for Saturday, January 17, 2026. The game will kick off at 8:30 p.m. and will be played at Rio Ave FC Stadium (Arcos), in Vila do Conde, where the Eagles will face Rio Ave. This clash is valid for the 18th round of the Liga Portugal Betclic 2025/26.

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