Costinha: ‘I demand respect for Sporting’
Speaking from the press room at Estádio da Luz, Sporting’s director of football was on hand to give a few words, while also stating that no other Sporting figure would be talking: “My first words are for the Sporting fans that were here, who supported the team to the fullest right until the end of the game. Other than that, I ask whoever watches this game to pay attention to the tackle from Luisão two minutes into the second half and to compare it with that of Marat Izmailov last week and that of João Pereira in the Sporting-Benfica League Cup game. Rules should always be the same for every team. Sporting Clube de Portugal is a great institution and I demand respect for the Club.”
Carlos Carvalhal: ‘An obvious red card’
The Sporting coach took a moment to analyse the game with Benfica, stating that “the first half was dominated by Sporting, with us controlling the game and having the better opportunities. In the second half, the opposite happened and there effectiveness was decisive. We didn’t finish things when we could have but Benfica did. We have some good chances against a good team, we are on the right track and we played some good football that I am happy with. I don’t like to talk about referees, but we cannot close out eyes to what is happening in Portuguese football: It is easy to send of a Sporting player, but today we saw that it is not like that for everybody. Two minutes into the second half, Luisão could have been shown what was an obvious red card, that has to be said!”
Carvalhal finished off by leaving a “word for the fans that were with us cheering us on during the game. They were very enthusiastic and we thank them for that”.
João Moutinho: ‘Luisão and Izmailov tackles are comparable’
The Sporting captain gave a few words following the clash at the Luz, stating that “in the play in which Luisão went through the back of Liedson when play was stopped, he said he slipped. However, we all saw what happened and Izmailov was sent off for a challenge less serious than that. The two tackles are comparable. Today sums it all up: fouls on Sporting players are not given whereas any touch by a Sporting player is given. It looked as if the pitch was on a hill that the referee was always pushing us down. After that, Benfica grabbed the win. This season has to be seen as a sad one for all of us, but we have to live with that and work to make the future better.”
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