Benfica launched a critique of referee Cláudio Pereira, demanding a rigorous disciplinary investigation following the red card shown to Colombian striker Jhon Durán after a match against Santa Clara, Maisfutebol reported. Durán was expelled alongside others in an incident involving five red cards distributed by Cláudio Pereira following the victory on the pitch of Santa Clara, after a dispute involving Fernando and Torrão already after the final whistle.

Benfica Challenges Referee Report on Durán

At the center of the dispute is the explanation recorded by Cláudio Pereira in his official match sheet. According to details made public by media outlets and confirmed by the club, the referee stated that Durán was provoked and responded with unintelligible words, concluding that those remarks helped fan a general brawl at the final whistle. Benfica immediately challenged the logic of that justification in an official statement, adding that this new falsehood must be investigated and punished with the gravity it deserves and asserting that the club will not accept a report manifestly contradicted by reality being treated with complacency.

How can the referee attribute that effect to words he declares he did not understand? the club asked in its statement. The board pointed out that television broadcasts show no aggressive or provocative gestures from the forward during the chaotic scenes that followed the end of the match.

Contrasting Views on Durán’s Availability

The timing of the disciplinary decision has left Benfica’s technical staff in limbo ahead of upcoming fixtures. Manager Marco Silva addressed reporters during his pre-match press conference for the Taça da Liga quarterfinal against Gil Vicente, calling the red card entirely unjust and casting doubt on whether the player will be cleared to feature on the pitch. According to reporting by A Bola, Silva suggested the forward was penalized more for his reputation than for any real infraction on the pitch, having confirmed access to the report on the expulsion and expressed confidence in the Colombian forward’s despenalization.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese Football Federation’s Disciplinary Council scheduled a meeting for Thursday to review the suspension request and the despenalization request submitted by the club, with the team convinced of the Colombian’s innocence and guaranteeing he committed no infraction after the final whistle against Santa Clara. Bola na Rede reported that the forward will only learn if he can face Gil Vicente in the Allianz Cup just hours before kickoff, and that if the governing body opens a formal inquiry to examine the television footage, the automatic ban could be temporarily suspended to allow Durán to play, subject to a definitive ruling later, whereas if the inquiry later concludes there was reason for expulsion, the player must serve the suspension at a later stage.

Parallels Drawn with Past Arbitration Controversies

Beyond the immediate red card, Benfica’s leadership used the statement to target broader patterns in Portuguese officiating. The club referenced a previous incident from the prior season in Famalicão involving referee Gustavo Correia, who was later reprimanded by the Disciplinary Council for false accusations directed at Mário Branco, Benfica’s general director for football.

Insisting that history not repeat itself with impunity, Benfica’s statement demanded that the Arbitration Council cease rewarding referees who make severe mistakes with continued high-profile appointments in the Primeira Liga, and demanded that the Disciplinary Council analyze the case with rigor rather than whistling the other way and sanctioning this unjustifiable conduct, concluding that lies to the detriment of Benfica cannot continue to be a factor of impunity or promotion in Portuguese football.

Next Steps Before the Disciplinary Council

The immediate sporting future of Jhon Durán rests entirely on the findings and timing of the Disciplinary Council’s review. With the squad preparing to face Gil Vicente in the Allianz Cup, legal and administrative departments at Estádio da Luz await an urgent verdict that will determine if the Colombian international can take part in the knockout clash.