Benfica’s president complained about a penalty for signaling in favor of the reds, against Sporting de Braga, and complained about the referee’s lack of criteria in the quarter-final of the Portuguese Football Cup.
After the game on Thursday, in which the Braga won 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out, after a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes, the manager believed that Gonçalo Guedes had been fouled by Tormena in the Braga area , after 19 minutes. in a penalty which, had it been awarded, could have made it 2-0 for the red and whites, who were then already winning precisely with a goal from the Portuguese international.
“We started with a clear advantage, with an excellent first half hour, and we were prevented from making it 2-0. There is a very clear penalty on Gonçalo Guedes, it’s not me who says it, it’s the images that do it to show”, started saying Rui Costa, in the mixed zone of Estádio Municipal de Braga.
The leader of the eagles also recalled that the referee of this match, Tiago Martins, was the same one involved in marking a penalty kick against Benfica in the last derby against Sporting (1-1), at the time due to a foul by António Silva on Paulinho.
“[Este] It was the same referee [Tiago Martins] what did you do as a referee [VAR] in Luz and nearly forced the [Artur] Soares Dias scored the penalty against us at Benfica-Sporting, trying with almost the same dynamic. And in this one, with more intensity, he turned a blind eye”he said.
Rui Costa admitted Bah’s exclusion, with a direct red card in the 31st minute, after a foul on Pizzi, is “very clear” but said he “doesn’t understand” Tiago Martins’ differing assessment in Racic’s absence . the 55th minute, after complaining about the lack of intervention from the person in charge of VAR, Fábio Melo.
“It is inadmissible that they did not call the referee to the VAR. Fábio Melo is not a virgin in these situations. It is incomprehensible that the same referee and VAR have two different criteria in the same game”he said, given that Benfica “have done everything to go through” in the Portuguese Cup, before concluding: “They have not left us”.
Sp. Braga qualified for the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup for the 19th time on Thursday by beating Benfica 5-4 on penalties after drawing 1-1 at the end of extra time.
The Reds, record trophy holders (26), went through Gonçalo Guedes at 15 minutes, but were reduced to 10 points after 31 minutes, following the expulsion of Alexander Bah shortly before Libya’s Al Musrati restored equality for the Minho team, at 36.
With the draw until the end of regulation time and after extra time, in which Benfica still saw Morato sent off as well, the game was finally decided on the maximum penalty kick in the 120th minute, with Norwegian Aursnes being the only one to miss kick.
In the semi-final, which will be played over two legs, Sporting de Braga will face Nacional, from the II Liga, who eliminated Casa Pia on Thursday and won 5-2 in extra time.
In the other semi-final FC Porto, holder of the trophy, will face Famalicão, who defeated Académico de Viseu and BSAD respectively on Wednesday.
Source: DN
