Portuguese football rarely offers a quiet moment, especially when the nation’s biggest clubs are involved. Just recently, the Disciplinary Council of the FPF found itself wading through a fresh wave of formal complaints. It seems a busy time for the football authorities. These new disciplinary processes involve FC Porto, Benfica, and Sporting, stirring up the usual rivalries.
The council has opened three separate cases, each pointing fingers between the traditional rivals. One complaint, Process No. 16 this season, targets FC Porto. This one comes from the Portuguese Football Referees Association, known as APAF. Then there’s Process No. 17, aimed directly at André Villas-Boas, the current president of FC Porto. Sporting filed that particular complaint. Finally, Process No. 18 shines a light on Pavlidis, the Benfica forward, after a formal complaint from FC Porto.
Let’s unpack the first complaint, the one from APAF against FC Porto. This case springs from sharp words FC Porto published about referee Vítor Ferreira. The criticisms came after an FC Porto B versus Torreense match in the 7th round of the Second League. FC Porto’s official website held nothing back. They claimed, “Referee Vítor Ferreira continues to show why he was last in the ranking two seasons ago. He also shows why relegation to the second category is still not enough given his lack of competence to referee any professional league match.”
Next, we look at the complaint against FC Porto’s president, André Villas-Boas. This issue stems from comments he made at the Portugal Football Globes Gala. He spoke plainly about a specific video referee. “The only thing I must note is the absence of one of the best Portuguese video referees, Tiago Martins,” Villas-Boas stated. “He has been widely criticized by the presidents of Sporting and Benfica. He is also kept away from the big derby matches. It seems clear to me that the pressure from rival presidents directly impacts referee appointments.” Sporting heard this and quickly filed their complaint.
The third process involves Benfica’s Greek forward, Pavlidis. FC Porto lodged this complaint. They claim Pavlidis elbowed Gabri Veiga, an FC Porto player. This alleged foul happened very early in the recent derby match between FC Porto and Benfica, specifically in the first minute of play on the 5th of this month.