Statements by President Rui Costa

STATEMENTS

Rui Costa, President of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, made statements to the media on the morning of Tuesday, April 18, before the departure of the professional football team to Milan, where on Wednesday (8 pm) they will play the 2nd leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Upon leaving Lisbon, at the Humberto Delgado airport, the President of Benfica announced that the Club has made a complaint to the Disciplinary Board of the Portuguese Football Federation, following statements made last week about refereeing, which preceded the match Chaves-Benfica, on matchday 28 of the Liga Bwin, a game that ended shrouded in controversy, with a serious refereeing error, namely by the VAR.

"Benfica will do it [take action], but it shouldn't even do it. The Disciplinary Board was so quick to open a case against Benfica for newspaper reports not long ago... Benfica shouldn't have to be the one to speak out in a situation like this, with what happened last week. The media reported it all week long, it's unfortunate. We made a participation, let's wait for the consequences. Let not this external noise be the conditioning factor of this Championship that we have been leading since the first round. We are four points ahead, I know the players I have in the dressing room, I know the coaching staff, I know how hard they have worked for this, I know how much value we have within this dressing room, and we have shown it all along. This is how, all together, all united - because this is how we got here -, in this symbiosis between the public and the team, with this spirit, that we will reach the 38th league title, for sure", he said.

"We've done a brilliant nine and a half months. We can't forget what we've done so far. In the Champions League, we have 10 wins, two draws with Paris Saint-Germain and, now, a defeat against Inter, and we have been topping the Championship since the first round. None of this can shake what was done during nine and a half months. I am sure, I am convinced, more than aware, of what we have in the dressing room, the players we have, the coach we have, and the season will end well", he stressed.

Looking ahead to the quarterfinals of the Champions League...

"We are going with the negative result, the first negative result after 13 games in the Champions League, with 10 wins and two draws, is unprecedented at the Club. It is our obligation to fight for this competition and this game until the last second, and that is what we are going to do. I am fully aware that the team will give everything until the last second to fight for this tie ", said Rui Costa, adding: " For Benfica, all the matches are always the most important, at this moment it is the most important in the competition because it is what can make us stay in or out of the competition. We will travel for the first time in this sportive year, in the competition, with a negative result, but we will by no means throw in the towel. We will fight until the last second, that's what we will do. The tie is not decided yet!"