Unbelievable! Sporting get the rub of the green, Benfica hit with a fine | OneFootball

A hefty fine is on the way. The Disciplinary Council of the Portuguese Football Federation came down hard on Benfica. According to information released by the entity itself, the club from Luz was fined nearly 18 thousand euros following criticism directed at the refereeing of the Santa Clara - Sporting match in the Portuguese Cup.

According to the entity that oversees disciplinary matters in Portuguese football, the statements made about referee João Pinheiro were deemed unacceptable, and with that in mind, the DC decided to punish Benfica, led by Rui Costa, with a fine of 17,850 euros.

"What happened in this Portuguese Cup match in the Azores is indefensible and unacceptable for the credibility of Portuguese football. 12 minutes to find a penalty to benefit the same team as always, time after time," read the statement shared by the Eagles on December 18, 2025.

"On the same pitch where, last year, a clear and obvious penalty against Sporting didn’t even get the VAR’s attention and where, already this season, they won with a phantom corner. Phenomena that always happen whenever Sporting isn’t winning," Benfica stated — also fined for the behavior of their supporters.

It’s worth recalling that the fine in question targets the reaction of the club from Luz to what happened in the Azores, in the Portuguese Cup match between Santa Clara and Sporting. At issue was the controversial decision by João Pinheiro to award a penalty, after VAR took 12 minutes to confirm it. The incident ended up sending the match into extra time, where Rui Borges’ team eventually won.

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