The top match between Sporting Portugal and FC Porto (1-1) last Saturday has an aftermath. Pepe went into a duel with Sebastián Coates on a corner and images clearly show the 38-year-old defender of Porto hitting the jaw of Sporting’s mandekker with his fist. However, the referee and the VAR did not penalize Pepe for the remarkable incident, to Sporting’s frustration.
Ajax’s first opponent in the group stage of the Champions League has now officially requested the Portuguese Football Association to investigate Pepe’s much-discussed action. It is possible that the veteran of Porto will still be suspended at a later stage. Shortly after the top match in the Portuguese league, Coates complained about the way Pepe started the duel during the corner kick.
Ainda sobre onem a noite. Como é possível que um jogador fique impune depois de agredir barbaramente, com o queixo, o punho fechado de um anjinho chamado Pepe? Era expulsar esse bandido do Coates e irradiá-lo para dar o exemplo. O futebol tem de ser implacável com gente decente! pic.twitter.com/iIIyICqPKh
— nuno saraiva (@nuno_a_saraiva) September 12, 2021
Sporting had an energetic start to the top match against Porto, with Nuno Santos’ opening goal in the sixteenth minute. Luis Fernando Díaz’s equalizer came twenty minutes before the end. It has now become clear that trainer Rúben Amorim cannot have Pedro Goncalves, last season’s club top scorer with 23 goals, at his disposal against Ajax, due to minor injuries. Coates has been suspended for the meeting with Ajax. Davy Klaassen is missing from the visitors from Amsterdam on Wednesday evening due to minor groin complaints. The match in Lisbon starts at 9 p.m.
Related
More sports news