At the Nacional stadium in Lisbon, the Belem district team found themselves in an ubiquitous situation when it came time to host Benfica this Saturday in the league: they were only nine in the field, against eleven usually.
The fault… with the Covid-19!
With 14 players testing positive for Covid-19 or in isolation, the Portuguese club Belenenses had no other choice but to field a small team.
Cashing in on his own goal in the first minute, Belenenses obviously suffered from a numerical inferiority against the eleven opposing players, who were already leading 7-0 at the break.
A goalkeeper had been repositioned as a field player to face the eleven players from Benfica.
The coach himself and a good part of the technical staff were also in isolation.
A nossa equipa 🏰 # TorresdeBelem #LigaPortugal #Futebol pic.twitter.com/0B8KiMBYZt
- Belenenses Futebol SAD (@OsBelenensesSAD) November 27, 2021
The decision to maintain the game despite the unavailability of many players in quarantine was strongly criticized in Portugal, especially by midfielder Afonso Sousa, one of the absent players.
“Football has color only if it has competition.
Football has color only if it has a sporting truth.
Football has color only when it is an example of public health.
Today, football has lost its color, ”Sousa tweeted indignantly.
O futebol só tem cor se tiver competição.
O futebol só tem cor se tiver verdade desportiva.
O futebol só tem cor quando é um exemplo de saúde pública.
Hoje, o futebol perdeu a cor.
pic.twitter.com/ujjv5H5Ffp
- Afonso Sousa (@ afonso_sousa10) November 27, 2021
Bernardo Silva, the Portuguese Manchester City star, also expressed his misunderstanding.
" What is that ?
Am I the only one who does not understand why the match was not postponed?
He tweeted.
Where is isto?
Sou o único a não perceber or porquê do jogo não ter sido adiado?
🤦🏻♂️
- Bernardo Silva (@BernardoCSilva) November 27, 2021
The Belenenses players have decided for themselves to put an end to this carnage.
On the restart, for the second period, they only showed up to seven on the field, the minimum number allowed for a football match to be played.
A few minutes later, says RMC Sport, a player of the team falls, claims to be injured and must go out… At six players, the match cannot be played and the referee is forced to interrupt the match.
Belenenses is doing better than expected: a forfeit equals a 3-0 defeat, better than their performance so far.