Tondela coach Ivo Vieira cryptically alluded to deeper issues within Portuguese football officiating after his team’s 3-0 Allianz Cup loss to Benfica, choosing to withhold his full opinion on a controversial penalty until his retirement.
Vieira stated he holds a “very personal opinion” about what happens in the game but would save it for when he retires. He emphasized he would not “waste time commenting on these decisions and talking about third parties.”
He added that he has a “very strong opinion about what happens in Portuguese football” but preferred to focus on the players, calling them “the most important figures in the sport.”
The penalty in question led to Benfica’s first goal. Vieira described this as coming at a moment when Tondela was “still completely in the game.”
Tondela’s defeat resulted in their elimination from the Allianz Cup. Vieira had used the match to give opportunities to several less-used players.
He acknowledged it was a “difficult task” against Benfica, a club with “title aspirations.” He also felt the 3-0 scoreline was “too harsh.”
The coach explained that his team rotation aimed to reward players who “work harder” for an opportunity. The goal, he said, was to “maximize the players for this season, which will be long.”