Presidente del Porto aseguró que Luis Suárez llamó “ladrón” al árbitro en semifinal de la Copa de Portugal: el colombiano se expone a fuerte sanción

Footballer Luis Suárez’s actions during the semifinal of the Copa de Portugal between Sporting CP and FC Porto have sparked a disciplinary controversy that could lead to a suspension of the Colombian forward for up to eight matches in accordance with current regulations.

In response to what is considered an insulting gesture directed at referee Cláudio Pereira after a crucial penalty, FC Porto has filed a complaint accompanied by video evidence for the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) to investigate.

The controversy erupted following Sporting’s 1-0 victory, with Suárez converting the decisive penalty in a match filled with tension both on and off the field.

In the final moments of the game, FC Porto’s president, André Villas-Boas, claimed that Suárez “clearly called the referee Cláudio Pereira a thief with gestures”, referencing a previous incident in the Chinese league where he was handed a four-match suspension for a similar action.

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Villas-Boas remarked, “I want to know if Suárez will also be suspended for four games or if the Portuguese league can be compared to the Chinese one,” he stated to the press.

The FPF Discipline Council primarily relies on the referee’s written report for initiating processes, giving less importance to solely audiovisual evidence as seen in the case of Enzo Pérez. Therefore, whether Suárez’s gesture is included in the report submitted by referee Cláudio Pereira will be crucial for the outcome of the case.

In his post-match statement, Villas-Boas emphasized, “the example is clear. It happened to me, and I was sanctioned with four matches. Just as I expected the Sporting president to face consequences and the Discipline Council chose to dismiss serious allegations, I want to see if Luis Suárez will receive a sanction, or if we will have to compare the Portuguese league to the Chinese one.”

The blue and white club has gathered footage of the exact moment Suárez directed his gesture towards the cameras, occurring when Sporting players were appealing for a second yellow card for Alberto Costa, as revealed by a source close to the process cited by A Bola. A formal complaint to the FPF Discipline Council will be filed in the coming hours.

From Sporting, coach Rui Borges downplayed the accusation, stating: “I didn’t see the gesture; I don’t know if it was directed at a Porto player for any previous play. I won’t comment on those words; Suárez’s character speaks for itself, and his mark in the league will continue,” Borges remarked.

The ties to previous cases in the Portuguese league add institutional pressure. In the 2013/14 season, then-Benfica player Enzo Pérez was handed a one-match suspension for a similar gesture directed at the referee, verified through television footage.

This sanction was issued by the League’s Instruction and Inquiry Commission, per article 158 of the disciplinary regulations, which states that “players using insulting, defamatory, or rude expressions or gestures directed at match officials will face suspension of one to four matches and a fine of 15 to 75 units of account (UC).”

In Suárez’s case, as it pertains to the Taça de Portugal governed by the FPF, the relevant article is 153, which addresses “threats and insults to dignity” and specifies: “A player directing words, gestures, or any other form of expression that offends the honor, consideration, or dignity of the FPF, its social bodies, referees, or other sports agents will be penalized with a suspension ranging from 4 to 16 matches. If the target is a match official, the suspension ranges from 2 to 8 matches and a fine of 3 to 8 units of account.”

Therefore, according to the regulations, “the potential suspension facing the Sporting international might range from two to eight matches,” depending on the classification of the action and the interpretation by the FPF’s Discipline Council.