Football is an excuse to be happy.” The phrase belongs to Jorge Valdano, former World Champion for Argentina who played, among other clubs, for Real Madrid, where he won two UEFA cups and two Spanish champion titles. In addition to being an extraordinary athlete, after ending his career he became a commentator and columnist for the Spanish sports daily Mark.
Known as a “philosopher”, Valdano is the author of numerous texts on what is almost universally considered the “king sport” and his reading can even be recommended, such is the lucidity of his analyses.
But, if this week you had to write about Portuguese football, or futsal, fans, your words would not be complimentary. Just as they would not be for the attitudes of players, coaches and managers who should be an example for those who live the club’s passion.
Sadly, Portugal has been under the media spotlight for bad examples caused by supposed sports fans who are not, on the contrary. What happened before a futsal game between Sporting and Benfica, with more than a hundred people taking part in clashes near the Alvalade Stadium, cannot be forgotten. It is true that they were identified and presented to the judge. But they ended the Identity and Residence Term measure, while authorities investigate what happened and how it happened. It should be added that irons, sticks, pyrotechnic items, belts, a bladed weapon and a hammer were seized by the PSP.
According to recent news, there are 430 people prevented from accessing sports venues (350 bans applied by the Authority for the Prevention and Combat of Violence in Sport and the rest by judicial courts), but only in the case mentioned above were they involved – with their faces covered and dressed in black, of course because they are brave – more than 100 people. Therefore, there are many people who need to be banned from watching live what should be a show to “be happy”, quoting Jorge Valdano.
The truth, however, is that, within the precincts, there are also bad examples, or at least suspicions. What allegedly happened in the first leg of the play-off of access to the round of 16 of the Champions League between Benfica fan Prestianni and Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr. is, if confirmed, a very serious case and a “justification” for provocative attitudes such as that of a fan who was photographed this Wednesday next to an image of Real players with a bunch of bananas in their hand and pointing at the Brazilian athlete. This gentleman should be identified and punished.
All of this ends up giving rise to excesses like those that led the Spanish police to attack Benfica fans, some with their faces covered (obviously), who were in Madrid.
On the CMTV television channel, a child appeared live crying at the chaos and saying that he had been “very scared”. Is this how football wants to be remembered? And do you want to be one of the biggest shows in the world? And do the managers still defend these supposed fans? Or, worse, pretend they don’t exist. Could it be that after dragons, eagles and lions, Portuguese sport will have ostriches?
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