FC Porto was “always on top” and created “many more goal situations” than the opponent, but still lost to Sporting, 2-1, in the semi-final of the League Cup, played at Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, in Leiria. After the match, Sérgio Conceição admitted to feeling “hindered” by the fact that referee João Pinheiro didn’t show João Palhinha his second yellow card moments before sending-off Vítor Bruno from the blue and white bench. With all this, the coach of the national champions has no doubts: “We don’t think we’re just from a region and that we fight against everyone, we really do have to fight everything and everyone”.

The resume of the match
“I think the team played a good match. We were always on top and we created many more goal situations than the opponent. On their first shot on target, 86 minutes in, Sporting scored, when we had already created several situations to reach a different result. As they say, it was a result that came out of nowhere. We deserved to be in the final on Saturday, but it didn’t happen and we have to look at our main goal, which is the championship. That’s what we have to think of now.”

João Palhinha not getting sent-off and Vítor Bruno’s red card
“There are some situations that make me sad and I don’t understand why Vítor Bruno was expelled for asking a second yellow card for João Palhinha. And João Palhinha should have been shown the second yellow card. I spoke much less than the opposing coach and, on the first time João Pinheiro came to our bench, I got a yellow card. Every match is like this, there are always double standards. We don’t think we’re just from a region and that we fight against everyone, we really do have to fight everything and everyone. I feel hindered.”