Sport
SIC Interview
With just under a month to go before the FC Porto elections, Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa was in an interview with SIC and SIC Notícias, where he addressed the aspirations of the “dragons” for what remains of the season, the electoral act on the 27th, the “ rival” André Villas-Boas and also the relationship with Fernando Madureira.
After experiencing one of the darkest moments since assuming leadership of the FC Portothe most titled president in the history of football is going through times of contestation by Porto fans and the football team is increasingly further away from winning the national title.
This past weekend, the Dragons lost for the third time this season against Estoril, further distancing themselves from their main rivals in the fight for the national championship, which they have not won since 2022.
“National title? We are practically out of the race”
Pinto da Costa is aware of the difficulty of regaining the title of champion, but aims to win the Portuguese Cup this season.
“We have to be realistic, in terms of the title, we are practically out of the race. We are not going to be inventing. But there are more things to win, we have a Portuguese Cup that we intend to win and we already have a game with Vitória who are in a good moment”, he began by saying.
“I understand not. Football has conditions, everyone saw the way we lost, the reasons why we lost [no Estoril]. It has no influence. The team is doing well, it’s strong and I’m sure it will react and show its real value in Guimarães. I’m not worried,” he added.
“Champions? We have few chances to qualify”
In addition to being almost removed from the race for the championship, the Invicta club is further away from guaranteeing its presence in the next edition of the Champions League, which in the new season to come will only have one Portuguese team with direct entry and another for via a play-off.
“Champions League? We have little chance of qualifying next year. It’s not impossible but we have to be realistic”, he admitted.
“Player revolt? It’s easy to say I don’t agree”
After the meeting in Amoreira, the “blue and white” players revolted against the referee’s decisions, who reversed a penalty in favor of the national runners-up and also sent off two footballers. Pinto da Costa states that “it’s easy to say that you don’t agree”.
“It’s easy to say that I don’t agree. Football is emotion and an individual who feels that the game is run that way, in the first half there were consecutive fouls on our players and there were no yellow cards, then in the second half there were several yellow cards for our players. players. The free kick that gets Diogo Costa sent off is on the right side and is then scored in the central area. It may seem like it doesn’t matter, but it just shows that the Estoril players did what they wanted”, he said.
“Arbitration changed with Villas-Boas’ candidacy”
As a passing point from arbitration to the elections, which take place at the end of April, the Porto leader states that the team had no “reasons to complain about the arbitration” in 2023, but since André Villas-Boas’ candidacy for the presidency of the club was made public, “everything changed”.
“It’s an interesting point, linking arbitration with elections. In arbitration, in 2023, FC Porto had no direct reasons for complaint, it was neither benefited nor harmed, it was indirectly harmed, because Sporting in Faro and Casa Pia was at the expense of arbitration that won. But there is a curious thing: from the moment André Villas-Boas’ candidacy appeared, it appeared and the arbitration changed. A coincidence and a reality”, he argued.
Regarding the president of the Arbitration Council (CA), Pinto da Costa says that “he is a serious man, who does what he can”, but “if there are no paints, a painter does not paint”.
“In relation to the members of the Arbitration Council (CA), I cannot say because I don’t know who the people are. In relation to the president of the CA, in terms of seriousness, I maintain what I said. He is a serious man, who does what he can But if there are no paints, a painter doesn’t paint”, he emphasized.
“Villas-Boas’ candidacy has divided fans”
Returning to the competitor for the position of president of FC Porto, Pinto da Costa says that the former Dragons coach has divided the “blue and white” fans.
“I’m going to be president for 42 years. We managed to win 2566 titles, 68 in football and seven international titles in football. We have more international titles than all the others combined. The great basis of success, because we have always had great coaches, everyone has practically been national champions , those who were not left their mark with titles, such as Octávio Machado and Paulo Fonseca, who won the Super Cup. The great victory, our basis, was the unity of the partners. Since this candidacy appeared, nothing has been done if not trying to divide the partners. Nothing else”, he pointed out.
“Until my re-candidacy, I was a hero for Villas-Boas”
Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa continues his attack on the club’s presidential candidate, recalling that until his re-candidacy, “he was a hero for Luís André”.
“Ungrateful or not, everyone reacts as they want. There are two points: it is Luís André’s candidacy and my re-candidacy. Until Luís André’s candidacy, I was the president of presidents, my work was fantastic, I have documents from him saying that I am the hero of his life, that I was the greatest. Because they thought I wasn’t going to apply. From the moment I submitted my re-application, everything started to go wrong. The academy, which will be the best in the country, is no longer worth anything and they want to transfer everything to a chicken coop in Olival. I was everything, I was going to have a statue, then I applied and everything started to go wrong”, he recalled, adding that “there was no separation between the two”.
“Fernando Madureira did not betray my trust”
Another topic covered in this interview was the Extraordinary General Assembly, which ended with clashes between Porto fans. Fernando Madureira, one of those involved in the confusion at the main meeting, did not lose Pinto da Costa’s trust, as he himself makes a point of highlighting.
“Fernando Madureira did not betray my trust. As I do not consider that, no. I know the realities and I know. There is no image, which if there had already appeared on the news, that shows Fernando Madureira attacking anyone. There is no !” he pointed out.
“I had no problem visiting Madureira. Did he rob someone?”
The leader of Claque Super Dragões, currently in preventive detention due to investigations arising from Operation Praetorian, could count on a visit from Pinto da Costa one of these days if it weren’t for the limited number of visits.
“I’m not going to visit Fernando Madureira for one reason: because he has the right to a limited number of visits, he has parents, in-laws, wife and children. If it weren’t for that I wouldn’t have any problems. Did he kill someone? Did he rob someone? As far as I know, no “, he justified.
Regarding whether Fernando Madureira will return to lead the main “blue and white” cheerleading squad, Pinto da Costa says that the decision is up to the elements associated with it, but again questions what criminal act Madureira committed.
“Madureira returning to the Super Dragons? They are the ones who decide the leaders, not me. What is the criminal act? I think the preparation lies in those who, for the first time in the history of a Portuguese club, appeared to appeal ‘Come to the Assembly and film everything’. And Madureira did the preparation? For God’s sake”, he concluded.
Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa also took advantage of the opportunity to guarantee that if he is elected for a new term as president of the club, Sérgio Conceição will be his choice as coach.
