Belenenses were 7-0 down at half-time against Benfica after being made to play after a Covid outbreak hit the squad
Portuguese side Belenenses SAD are planning to sue a league official after he demanded the side play with just nine players in a game against Benfica.
As reported by the MailOnline, Belenenses were two-men short of a full side after the team was hit by a covid outbreak in the build up to the game – with up to 13 players missing due to being infected with the new Omicron variant.
They were even forced to play a goalkeeper as a right-back and found themselves 7-0 down at half-time before the game was abandoned early into the second-half as the home side were reduced to just six players.
In a statement after the game, Benfica hit out at the decision to play the game, calling it ‘one of the saddest episodes in the history of Portuguese soccer.’
And chairman of Belenenses, Rui Pedro Soares said he plans to take legal action after a report filed by the official inaccurately stated that the club had given approval to play the game.
“What is written there is false,” he told CMTV.
“I said it was shameful and I was outraged for having to play. I said that in the presence of the police, firefighters and referees. We will see in the courts what really happened.”
Soares went on to reveal that Belenenses had agreed to play the game – on the condition that they had enough players and that a final decision on whether to postpone the match would be left to league officials and health authorities.
He said: “We were not in a condition to play.
“It’s not up to Belenenses to request for the game to be postponed.”
The Primeira Liga side were threatened with a points reduction had they not played, whilst Benfica have also said that they were made to play and had no say on a final decision on whether the game could go ahead.
The league itself has refused to take any blame for the events, insisting it went along with Covid-19 protocols and that they would set up a meeting to analyse what happened in the run-up to the match.
Related links:
- First 13 cases of the Omicron variant in Portugal believed to be Belenenses SAD players
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