Luís Rocha was deeply indignant at the end of the match between Santa Clara and Sporting, counting for the Portuguese Cup, which resulted in the elimination of the Azorean team. In the flash interview with Sport TV, the central defender left harsh criticisms of the refereeing and the outcome of the game, highlighting the lack of respect felt by the club and the region it represents.
Visibly angry, the player began by highlighting the effort made by the team in the days leading up to the match. Santa Clara played in Braga on Monday, returned to the Azores on Tuesday and prepared the duel with Sporting in a short space of time. For Luís Rocha, this context makes it even more difficult to accept what he classified as a strange game, especially taking into account the recent history against the same opponent.
The central defender pointed directly to the prolonged added time and the penalty that allowed Sporting to equalize in the final minutes. From his perspective, these were decisions that were difficult to understand and ended up devaluing the work of a team that, he recalled, has already represented Portugal in European competitions and has a president who invests heavily in the club.
Luís Rocha also reinforced that Santa Clara represents much more than a simple sporting emblem, defending the Azorean people and a sustainable project. Despite recognizing that the main objective of the season is to remain in the championship, he made it clear that the club demands respect on the field. The player ended the intervention in a restrained manner, apologizing to the journalist and refusing to prolong his statements.
