Benfica climbed to 22 points in second place, five points behind FC Porto, by defeating Santa Clara 2-1 at Estádio Municipal de São Miguel in the Azores. But the final whistle in the Primeira Liga fixture dissolved into chaos, resulting in five red cards distributed by referee Cláudio Pereira after players and staff clashed on the pitch.

Clash Erupts on the Atlantic Pitch

The friction began near the 90th minute when Benfica forward Jhon Durán struck Emanuel Monteiro with his arm, earning a yellow card before being shoved by Romão. Once the match concluded, the situation escalated into a full-scale brawl involving pushing, shouting, and physical contact. Luis Fernando confronted Durán in a heated exchange of words, and as the Colombian striker walked away, Fernando pursued him and placed his left arm around the player’s neck. Coaching staff and officials rushed in to separate the warring groups, but the confrontation triggered a wave of disciplinary action from referee Cláudio Pereira.

Five Red Cards Alter the Landscape

When the dust settled on the Azores pitch, Pereira brandished five red cards to participants from both benches and technical structures. The players and staff dismissed included Welinton Torrão and Pedro Pacheco from Santa Clara, alongside Jhon Durán, assistant coach Gonçalo Sousa, and football director Mário Branco from Benfica. Other disciplinary actions involved assistant coach Gonçalo Santos and Santa Clara assistant coach Tiago Pinto, in a melee which involved nearly 50 people crowded onto the grass.

Contrasting Reactions After the Melée

Post-match reactions highlighted a sharp divide between the two clubs regarding fault and responsibility. Fernando downplayed the incident to  Sport TV, stating that it was simply part of the game and that he did not see the red card given to him. Benfica manager Marco Silva offered a much fiercer defense of his player during his press conference, challenging television broadcasters to release unfiltered footage. Silva insisted he had the absolute guarantee from Durán that the forward did nothing wrong and called for the red card to be withdrawn if the player is proven innocent, questioning what the referee intends to write in his official match report.

Next Fixtures for the Eagles

Benfica must quickly turn their attention away from the Azores controversy as domestic and cup competitions continue. The squad returns to action on Thursday to host Gil Vicente in the quarterfinals of the Taça da Liga.