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Roger Schmidt (3rd from right) saw the red card after throwing a bottle
Photo: IMAGO/Miguel Pereira / IMAGO/GlobalImagens
Coach Roger Schmidt is threatened with a ban in Portugal after a scandal: the German coach of Portuguese record-breaking champions Benfica Lisbon was sent off in the 2-0 win at FC Vizela because he threw a plastic water bottle back into the crowd.
The bottle had flown from the stands behind the Benfica bench onto the field just before the final whistle and almost hit Schmidt in the head, who was just celebrating the decisive goal to make it 2-0.
Legendary duel with referee Zwayer
Now Schmidt has to wait for the extent of the lock.
Six years ago, Schmidt was involved in one of the strangest sending-offs in Bundesliga history when he was asked to go to the stands after a dispute with the fourth official, but didn't do so for several minutes.
Referee Felix Zwayer interrupted the game until Schmidt finally took his new place.
He received a three-game penalty for this.
Table lead expanded
Otherwise the matchday went very well for him and Benfica.
Thanks to their own victory and the completely surprising 2-1 defeat by pursuers FC Porto at home to Gil Vicente, the »Adler« were able to extend the gap to the defending champions and arch-rivals to eight points after 22 of a total of 34 games.
“Yes, I reacted a bit to the provocations from the fans behind me.
And that's not allowed, so I accept the red card.
That's all," said the 55-year-old to journalists after the match.
Remarkable exit
After throwing the bottle, the former coach of Bayer Leverkusen and PSV Eindhoven also discussed things with the rowdy fans of the home team.
After the red card, he said goodbye to the Vizela supporters by showing the end result with both hands on the way to the dressing room.
He held up two fingers on one hand and indicated a zero with the other.
mfu/dpa