GOLAZONEWSBenfica President Demands Refereeing Improvements and Backs Goalkeepers
- Rui Costa insists that league standings must be decided solely by on-field merit.
- The club official expressed full confidence in Samuel Soares, Trubin, and Diogo Ferreira.
- Legal and journalistic figures have weighed in on the ongoing officiating disputes.
Benfica President Rui Costa has publicly called for a higher standard of officiating in Portuguese football, demanding rigor, equity, and quality from the sector. Costa emphasized that the final league standings should be determined exclusively by merit on the pitch and advocated for better conditions for referees to operate.
These remarks have drawn criticism from Record journalist Valter Marques, who suggested that such complaints from club presidents reflect a lack of confidence in their own teams. Meanwhile, lawyer João Diogo Manteigas has spoken out against the dismissal of a complaint filed by Benfica, citing the Liga Portugal Disciplinary Regulations and alleging a culture of protectionism regarding referees.
In addition to his comments on officiating, Rui Costa moved to end the debate regarding the club's goalkeeping situation. He confirmed his satisfaction with the current options, stating that Benfica possesses three excellent goalkeepers in Samuel Soares, Anatoliy Trubin, and Diogo Ferreira.