“I voted for Pinto da Costa, but my president is Villas-Boas”. FC Porto in the post-elections | Report

— I voted for Villas-Boas. I think FC Porto needs a change.
— But change of what? No longer having cups in the museum?
— You’ll still have glasses. Give it time.

José Lourenço and Hugo, uncle and nephew, voted for different sides in this Saturday’s FC Porto elections. Less than 24 hours have passed since the results were known and the feeling is running high. The first, a 54-year-old man, chose Pinto da Costa. The 24-year-old preferred André Villas-Boas. Still, José already recognizes Villas-Boas as president. The partners spoke loud and clear – asking for a renewal. And that overwhelming support is enough for this partner.

“I voted for Pinto da Costa, but Villas-Boas is my president. I don’t spit on the plate from which it was eaten, nor do I criticize anyone who voted for the other candidate – who, from now on, as I said, is the president of all Porto fans”, explains José. Next door, Hugo tries to assure his uncle that that the election of Villas-Boas was the correct decision and that the former leader will remain a symbol of the club: “In recent years, Pinto da Costa has not fulfilled the role of president well. He will always be the president of presidents. But everything comes to an end.”

Pinto da Costa’s 42-year reign has not yet officially come to an end, but the leader’s record already has an end in sight. André Villas-Boas was the big winner of this Saturday’s elections, collecting 80.3% of the vote (21,489 votes), while the current president managed only 19.5% (5224). It was a historic vote, with more than 26 thousand votes, which almost tripled the previous record of 10,731 members from the 1988 election.

André Villas-Boas’ victory was no surprise to most, but the scale of the triumph did not fail to amaze some members. One of them was José Carvalho, a member of the “dragons” for 49 years. The Porto native remembers the famous 19 years that FC Porto spent without winning the national title, a “drought” that, in Pinto da Costa’s time, would have been unthinkable. José saw the transformation of a club of regional size into a powerhouse in European and world football at the hands of the defeated candidate. Villas-Boas still voted, considering that past gratitude cannot condition the future.

“Pinto da Costa’s time was over. I already expected a victory, but never by this margin. There was already talk that Villas-Boas was going to win. I want FC Porto to improve in financial matters, the club is bankrupt. Not many people lend money to the club in this state,” he explains.

“Super Dragons cost votes”

Walking at a quick pace, José heads in time for the gate that gives access to the bench where he has his annual seat. At the old Estádio das Antas, not a game was missed. Now, with a few more years behind him, he comes when he can. He made a point of going to Dragão on Saturday morning to vote in the elections. When it comes to listing what made Pinto da Costa lose votes, the member responds instantly.

“FC Porto’s main fans have always been annoying for a normal fan of the club. We knew they were getting rich at our expense. At away games, we were forced to buy from the fans because they kept all the tickets. In a game like this [contra o Sporting]how many thousands did they profit?”

The Super Dragões are, quite possibly, the last phalanx of visible support for Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa. At the moment the leader left the stadium, after André Villas-Boas’s victory was achieved, dozens of supporters surrounded the car and sang words of support. Minutes later, they tried to invade the Estádio do Dragão garage, prevented by security guards and the police.

“Pinto da Costa was very close to the Super Dragões and most of the members were against that. Especially after the general assembly on November 13th. Those cheerleading whistles [nos cânticos de apoio a Pinto da Costa] show just that. The Super Dragões cost votes for Pinto da Costa, who must not have surrounded himself with the best people either”, analyzes Miguel Fonseca, another of the partners present at Estádio do Dragão.

For the member, it is preferable for FC Porto to have one or two years with a less competitive team, but that this time is used to stabilize the club’s finances and focus on training: “If it goes down the path of further indebting the club to win a title… that’s not what he promised.”

In the classic between FC Porto and Sporting, both Pinto da Costa and André Villas-Boas were present – ​​but in different places in the stadium. The still president was, as usual, in the gallery. Despite the invitation, Villas-Boas preferred to be in the annual place he occupies on the bench. One last time, before taking office, among the members who elected him president.