Rafael Leao has defended his sending off for Portugal against Chile in an international friendly match last weekend.
The AC Milan forward was dismissed on the stroke of halftime after appearing to punch Chile defender Ivan Roman in the face during a scuffle.
Roman had been involved in an incident with Joao Cancelo, before Leao stepped in, with the referee awarding a red card to both players.
Portugal went on to win the match 2-1, with Goncalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes getting the goals for the 2016 European champions.
“Regarding my sending off, I simply wanted to protect my teammate, never intending to hurt the opponent!”, Leao said.
While Fernandes defended Leao’s actions, head coach Roberto Martinez slammed the decision and demanded more from the forward.
“Obviously, we don’t want players to be sent off, but I’d like to highlight the team’s solidarity and the way the lads stood up for each other”, Fernandes said.
“Leão realised that Cancelo was being closed down there; he was the first to get there and was unlucky that, amidst the shoving, the Chilean player ended up falling. But it’s important to be there for one another. I’ll take the positive from it, because the mutual support between us will be important for us at the World Cup.”
“We’re all very determined and he reacted in a situation that is bound to happen a lot at the World Cup”, Portugal head coach Martinez said.
“Clearly it’s a good example that we can’t give in to frustration or see a red card in that situation.”
Leao will miss Wednesday’s friendly game against Nigeria, although he will be available for Portugal’s World Cup opener against the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 17th of June.
Portugal will also face Uzbekistan and Colombia in their remaining group games.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
