Pinto da Costa: More than Sporting and Benfica, the subject is Portimonense

Team Algarvia played with the name of the former president of FC Porto on the back. Not even FC Porto did that. Adepts from Portimonense have already criticized gesture.

Pinto da Costa He died and the messages of condolence quickly spread across the country and the world. Even the president of Real Madrid or even FIFA left a message to the family and fans of FC Porto.

Among the Portuguese clubs of the I Liga, only two did not issue communications on the subject: Sporting e Benfica.

Rui Borges and Bruno Lage, the coaches of the two largest rivals of FC Porto, were asked and left a sentence about the death of the former president – both had a game precisely on the night of the death announcement – but after that, there was no official message of the Lisbon Clubs.

André Villas-Boaspresident of FC Porto, pointed out: “We can not help lament that so far have not been addressed any condolences, neither to me personally nor to FC Porto. We will wait to see if we will have any institutional representation (in the funeral) or not of the two clubs of Lisbon. If so, it is the minimum in every way. ”

“We don’t find it very normal This type of behavior, which forgets a person who marked national and international football and is a reference for FC Porto, ”added Villas-Boas, when he arrived at Francisco Sá Carneiro airport last night.

The president of FC Porto also pointed out: “It costs us very much to find this behaviorEspecially when, after my election, we always try to be based on the meeting between ‘big’, in order to improve the product, establish new relationships, raise the good name of Portuguese football and walk for better sport and the representativeness of this industry ”He bound.

But this absence of condolence messages on the part of the other two “great” is not properly surprising, especially on the part of Sporting.

In addition to the rivalry and “hot” climate among rivals – much driven by Pinto da Costa himself, still in the 1980s – the current president of Sporting never hid his criticism of Pinto da Costa.

Frederico Varandas even called “bandit” At the time, president of FC Porto – who “could not be leader of anything in a first world country.” In fact, there was a court session because of this case (defamation process) only four days before the death of Pinto da Costa.

A few months ago, Varandas said that “It would be horrible” to be compared to Pinto da Costa – The duo they did with Rúben Amorim was even compared to the duo Pinto da Costa/Pedroto. “For me It is a fraud if it is not based on ethics values. It would be horrible if I was compared to this president, ”he shot at.

Still at the time of the “bandit”, the president of Sporting had said: “Pinto da Costa can have a great sense of humor, be an above -average person culturally and a curriculum with many wins, but a bandit will always be a bad guy and no End a bad guy will always be remembered as a bandit. When he withdraws, or forced to withdraw, he will provide a great service to Portuguese football and will contribute to the country to be first world. ”

Portimonense Sweater

But throughout the afternoon of Sunday, the subject around the death of Pinto da Costa became another: the Portimonense He stood out for social networks and in various news.

Portimonense played at home with Torrense (lost 1-2) to the II League. All players from Portimonense entered the name Pinto da Costa on the nightgownover the number. And there was a moment of tribute to the “eternal president” before the game.

Portimonense SAD players will play with the name of Pinto da Costa on nightgown.

– Sports Cab (@cabinesport)

Many supporters of the Algarve team did not like. Still during the game, songs were heard “The Portimonense is ours!” and later, the – adept page – said that this moment was “a shame”.

This group of Portimonense fans recalled what the former FC Porto president even said “without rodeos, who While it was alive, the Portimonense would not return to the first league. And never apologized for that. ” Therefore, fans ask for “respect.”

“Who, within Portimonense, thought this was a good idea? Who has decided that we should pay tribute to someone who turned to us and worked against our growth? This was not a tribute, it was a stroke to those who truly feel this club (…) this was a Attention to the dignity of the portimonense And its history, ”the statement continues.

But this tribute was not that strange, given the obvious proximity between Theodoro Fonsecashareholder of the Portimonense SAD, which was investigated on suspicion of tax fraud, falsification of documents and laundering of capital – such as Pinto da Costa.

Portimonense’s blog does not forget the “business between Portimonense and FC Porto have always raised doubts. Strange negotiations, players circulating among unlawful clubs, uninstanded agreements“.

In fact, precisely a month before the death of Pinto da Costa, the audit to FC Porto revealed that the Dragon Club did several businesses with Portimonense without “rational decision”, without documents that justify them. FC Porto hired Gleison, Musa, Manafá, Rui Costa and Samuel Portugal for values ​​above its market price.

And here stands out the case of Samuel Portugal, The goalkeeper who cost 4 million euros (its market value was 1.5 million) and that… He hasn’t even played by FC Porto’s first team.

Interestingly, Samuel Portugal made his debut for FC Porto a week before the death of Pinto da Costa. Played for team B.

And there is still another moment associated with the famous goalkeeper: at the time 2021/22, near the end of the championship and when FC Porto was in the race for the title, Portimonense went to the dragon; Surprisingly, Samuel Portugal didn’t even play. In this duel, seven usual parties from Portimonense did not play. Three young people from the under-23 debuted by the first team in this game that ended with… 7-0 for the Porto. FC Porto was champion this year.