BOLA invited three well-known Benfica fans to comment on Rui Costa’s interview, the day before yesterday, on BTV. There were praise, but there was also criticism after 90 minutes of explanations that for Francisco Benitez, Gaspar Ramos and Vasco Mendonça were far from deserving a 10.
«There were things that I liked to hear, others that I didn’t like to hear at all, and there were things that I would have liked to have heard and have not heard», summarized A BOLA Francisco Benitez, from the Servir o Benfica movement, who went to votes with Rui Costa in the last November elections.
«I was pleased to know that the statutes committee is advancing at a good pace and that at the end of February there will be a draft, a sign that we will have a structuring document on the life of Benfica that can help us turn this dark page», he listed, without stopping: “I also liked to hear that the sports need more attention and that they will open the pavilions to fans, it’s a good idea. And the renovation of the interior of the stadium… he said what he will do and I completely agree.”
On other subjects, however, he was deeply displeased. «The audit should be to the Benfica group and it seems that it is to the Public Ministry (MP). First three contracts were analyzed to see if MP did a good job, now 55 more contracts… Is this an audit? Benfica’s interest is in auditing the Benfica universe, knowing whether or not there are crimes in the organization, in the relationship between employees, companies and suppliers”, he pointed out, continuing: “I also didn’t like that Benfica had not become an assistant in the process. They insist on whitewashing the Red Card operation, which is nothing, then it’s Vieira’s personal matter and he continues to push the situation with his belly. And I didn’t like it either, then it went wrong for Rui Costa, to hear him say how contracts are signed, especially when buying players. So, but he is the administrator responsible for football and signs contracts because he is there, if there was no one else to sign?»
The declaration of absolute confidence in Domingos Soares de Oliveira was another negative point.
«He and Miguel Moreira are the only two defendants who remain at Benfica and Domingos for a long time has not been able to direct SAD», he stated.
Gaspar Ramos, the historic leader of the eagles, found the explanation about Jesus “a bit complicated” and considered that Rui Costa should have done better.
«He had an obligation to not allow that situation to happen in due time, which was discrediting for him and for Benfica. So with the experience you have, you don’t know what goes on in the resort. At the very least, he had to be informed by the people of the structure, if they didn’t… I think the thing is poorly explained, even if it could have happened as he says, it shouldn’t have happened”, he pointed out, considering that the process was “a shame for all the benfiquistas».
The John Textor theme deserves reservations.
Vasco Mendonça, columnist for A BOLA, was also far from pleased with everything he heard.
«I liked the fact that Rui Costa introduced himself to the partners and invested time in it. It was an unusually long interview and I felt that it tried to go over many topics and provide a lot of clarification», he said, before turning to criticism.
“I didn’t like the way that signing documents was described and that this was not equivalent to harmful behavior or wrong decision. As much as I understand that an administrator does not have direct contact with everything that happens, in an organization like Benfica, with the role of Rui Costa in SAD, who had the football portfolio, it is difficult to understand that someone says that he signed papers but that that does not mean that he was aware of what was happening», he highlighted.
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