Portuguese Belenenses, which is located at the bottom of the country’s high-profile, has been hit by a major covid outbreak. A total of 17 players and leaders in the team have tested positive for covid-19. It had major consequences in Saturday’s league match at home against the giant Benfica.
Belenenses came to the start with only nine players, where the fullback João Monteiro is really an everyday goalkeeper. Once the match started, it took no more than 25 seconds before the team managed to score an own goal – and when the first half was summed up, it was 0-7 on the scoreboard.
It then took a full half hour before the home players came out to the field for the second half – but then there were only seven players left. When Belenenses took the kick in the second half, they played the ball out of the sideline before a player lay down on the grass and simulated injury.
The referee was forced to cancel the match as Belenenses was down to six players, which is not enough to complete a match in Portugal’s top flight. A farcical end to a football match that hardly gives positive publicity for Portuguese football.
Before the kick-off, several of the Belenenses players went out on social media in a protest against the match being allowed to be played. The post read as follows:
“Football only has color if it has competition.
Football only has color if it has sporting justice.
Football only has color when it is an example of public health.
Today, football has lost its color. “
Belenenses kicked off their game against Benfica with just nine players, two of which are goalkeepers ????
The Portuguese club had 17 players and staff test positive for coronavirus. https://t.co/vQL3MAqimD
— GOAL (@goal) November 27, 2021
Football only has color if it has competition.
Football only has color if it has sporting truth.
Football only has color when it is an example of public health.
Today, football has lost its color. pic.twitter.com/ujjv5H5Ffp— Afonso Sousa (@afonso_sousa10) November 27, 2021
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