Benfica and Guimarães Didn’t Hear No Bell
By: Greg | June 27th, 2008
In the spirit of Rocky Balboa’s trainer Mickey, Benfica and Guimarães refuse to acknowledge a final bell signaling a knock out. Apparently there is no stopping them in their quest to get Porto the hell out of European competition for the upcoming season. After UEFA recently granted Porto a stay of execution and decided that no disciplinary action could be taken this far into the summer, Benfica and Guimarães decided to exhaust their final option: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The governing body announced today that it has accepted documented appeals from both Portuguese clubs and has been asked by the “plaintiffs” for a swift decision. Since the third qualifying round draw for the Champions League takes place August 1st, the CAS has to determine in the coming days whether or not it can render a verdict by the end of July.
UEFA boss Michel Platini recently slammed his own organization’s decision to allow Porto into the tournament this year. Platini has cited the fact that he feels that allowing the cheaters in does not follow the spirit of the law, even if it manages to be within the letter of said law.
Platini’s outrage aside, I think the CAS will still side with Porto on the grounds that it broke the law before the law was a law in the bylaws. Porto are going to get away with it, what’s new?
Kisses ALL AROUND. Enjoy your weekend.
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I need to know if this will be an impartial blog or if I’m wasting my time reading the rants of a Benfiquista. There’s nothing better than being able to read information on the Portuguese league but if this is a forum to take shots at Porto or any other club, I’m out. What Benfica are doing to try and get Porto out of the Champions League is shameful. Porto have increased the Portuguese League’s ranking within UEFA the last number of years and by removing them you will weaken the League’s standing within Europe. Porto are the only reason 3 Portuguese teams can get into the Champions League. Benfica should concentrate on building a better team than trying to sneak into tournaments based on legal technicalities. And besides, Porto has nothing on the corruption and match fixing skills Benfica exhibited during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
Posted from
Canada
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Richard, I’m a Chelsea fan who has a mother in law that is a Sportinguista so that makes me somewhat partial to Sporting. Porto cheated, plain and simple. I’m very cynical and use hyperbole to make points, often times to ill effect.
Please note that I pointed out in an earlier blog that “Benfica’s been dragging Porto and Portuguese football through the proverbial mud in Europe by sending every lawyer possible to argue their Champions League case to no avail, so Porto must enjoy the fact that they got some sort of small revenge here (aside from the fact that Benfica’s attempts were futile).” I’m not happy with how Benfica are going about trying to backdoor their way into the Champions League.
However, at the same to turn a blind eye and gloss over corruption in Portuguese soccer is not good either. There is no way to say that Porto were punished at all for match fixing. The FPF made itself look even more powerless when it handed down the 125k Euro fine and 6 point deduction from a season that they had won running away.
I’m glad to have someone like yourself around to keep me honest and seems to have a good knowledge of the Portuguese game. Go back and read some of my other blogs not involving the Golden Whistle, I think you’ll find I’m rather impartial. Heck, read the blog making fun of Benfica that I wrote today as evidence of impartiality. I look forward to further discussion with you in the upcoming season.
Posted from
United States -
Richard,
Are you serious? You’re actually arguing, in a round-about way, that “the end justifies the means”.
What FC Porto has done for Portugal/Portuguese football, is irrelevant to the issue of whether FC Porto is guilty of corruption. Benfica and Guimaraes are well within their right to take this all the way to the CAS. Don’t try and blow smoke up our collective a$$es! People aren’t as stupid and you’re not as smart as you think you are!
Portuguese football is corrupt. The latest escapade involving the Conselho Judicial’s actions on 04JUL2008 is irrefutable proof of this fact. And the epicentre of this corruption is FC Porto and Pinto da Costa.
My personal opinion is that Portugal and ALL Portuguese domestic teams should be banned by FIFA and UEFA from ALL international competitions until the Portuguese government acts to stamp out all corruptive elements within the game. Portuguese football is a joke…a sad, pathetic, sick joke and FC Porto and Pinto da Costa are responsible for this, almost exclusively. Until outside forces step in to correct this situation, the sad, pathetic status quo will continue.
With respect to Benfica in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, please provided documented evidence to support your statement. Otherwise, be a good boy and shut the f*ck up!
O’ Canada!
Carlos from Toronto.
Posted from
United States
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