Benfica coach disputes Jhon Durán red card

Benfica manager Marco Silva has expressed strong disagreement with the referee's report regarding the red card issued to Colombian forward Jhon Durán during a match against Santa Clara. While the referee, Cláudio Pereira, justified the dismissal by citing offensive language or gestures that were allegedly imperceptible to the officiating crew, Silva maintains that the player was not involved in any misconduct.

Silva stated that after reviewing video footage and the official report, he remains convinced of the player's innocence. The coach has called for a swift decision from the Portuguese Football Federation's Disciplinary Council to clarify Durán's availability for upcoming fixtures.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the disciplinary ruling, Durán has been included in the squad for Benfica's Taça da Liga match against Gil Vicente. The match follows a chaotic conclusion to the previous game, which saw multiple red cards issued to players and staff from both Benfica and Santa Clara following a series of confrontations.