The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has fined Benfica €17,850 (approx. £15,000 / R$ 96,400) following the club’s harsh public criticism of rivals Sporting CP. The sanction, handed down by the Disciplinary Council, stems from social media posts questioning the integrity of the refereeing during Sporting’s recent cup clash against Santa Clara.
The controversy follows a dramatic Taça de Portugal match on December 18th, where Sporting secured a 3-2 victory in extra time to advance to the quarterfinals. In the aftermath, Benfica released a series of statements that the FPF has now deemed “beyond the limits of acceptable institutional criticism.”
“Unacceptable for Portuguese Football”
According to reports from A BOLA, the fine was triggered by Benfica’s official communications, which described the officiating in the Azores as “unqualifiable and unacceptable for the credibility of Portuguese football.”
The club specifically targeted the VAR performance, questioning the time taken to award a crucial penalty to Sporting. Benfica’s social media accounts didn’t stop there; they also cited a “pattern of competitive disadvantage,” referencing incidents from previous seasons at the same stadium to suggest a bias in favor of the Lions.
Disciplinary Backlash
The FPF’s Disciplinary Council ruled that Benfica’s strategy of highlighting alleged historical errors exceeded the bounds of fair commentary. Key points of the ruling include:
- The Penalty: Questioning the VAR’s decision-making time was seen as an attack on officials.
- The “Pattern”: Linking separate matches together to build a narrative of bias was classified as a regulatory violation.
- Financial Impact: The €17,850 fine serves as a formal reprimand for the club from Luz.
Tensions Remain High Off the Pitch
On the field, Sporting continues their journey in the Portuguese Cup under manager Rui Borges, but the fallout from that night in Santa Clara continues to sour the relationship between Lisbon’s two giants. While the fine concludes the case from a regulatory standpoint, it only adds fuel to an already explosive rivalry heading into the final stages of the 2025/26 season.
Thiago Nuno is a football editor and analyst covering European leagues, match statistics, and transfer market trends.
