A leading candidate for the Benfica presidency has accused rival FC Porto and its new leader, André Villas-Boas, of reverting to decades-old “intimidation practices” and promised a forceful response if elected.
Noronha Lopes, a contender in Benfica’s upcoming elections, sharply criticized FC Porto following an incident during a recent match against Sporting Braga. Lopes specifically cited the presence of a television in referee Fábio Veríssimo’s locker room at halftime as evidence of renewed tactics.
He asserted that Benfica supporters “know FC Porto’s record well,” characterizing the situation as a continuation of a “culture of intimidation spanning decades.” Lopes vowed that if he wins the election on the ninth, he will ensure FC Porto’s president, Villas-Boas, “will not go unanswered again.”
“Benfica does not shrink from those who wish us ill. It grows stronger,” Lopes stated. He also advised Villas-Boas to “mind his own business.”
Lopes lamented what he called a return to “practices of the 90s,” contradicting hopes for a “new generation of presidents” to reform Portuguese football. He stated that referees, players, officials, journalists, and fans have historically been targets of such intimidation.
The candidate urged Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese League, and Reinaldo Teixeira, president of the Portuguese Referees’ Council, to address the situation. He called for an end to “looking the other way” when “elementary principles in sport” are at stake, stating, “After 40 years of this, enough is enough.”
Lopes pledged that Benfica would “guarantee the uncompromising defense of its interests” and lead a “true transformation of Portuguese football.” “From now on, we will not hesitate to denounce all attempts at conditioning and attacks on sporting truth,” he concluded.