The manager acknowledged Benfica’s defeat in the elections and congratulated Rui Costa on his re-election as president of the club.
List F candidate, João Noronha Lopes, personally accepted the electoral defeat and congratulated Rui Costa on his imminent triumph and consequent re-election as president of Benfica.
“The Benfica fans voted and the result is clear: I want to congratulate Rui Costa. It is a significant victory. I hope that I can unite the Benfica fans and I will do everything to make it possible. I take responsibility for this defeat. It was I who failed to convince the Benfica fans”, stated Noronha Lopes in a speech at the campaign headquarters in Lisbon.
“I was the one who failed, I was the one who couldn’t get the message across,” added the manager.
Noronha Lopes also left an appeal to her supporters, referring in particular to younger people, to remember the candidacy’s motto: “Benfica is above all.”
“Don’t give up participating in the life of the club and continue to support the team, filling the stadiums and pavilions. Continue to be demanding and remember that what unites us as Benfica fans is much more than what separated us in an electoral campaign”, he added.
Rui Costa wins ‘second’
The current president of the ‘eagles’ was once again the candidate with the most votes, after, in the first round, having won 42.13% of the votes, against 30.26% for the manager, without having achieved an absolute majority.
On a historic day for Benfica, 93,081 members set a new world record, 7,659 more votes compared to the first round, making this the most participated electoral event in the history of football.
