“There are the Moors and the others, the pure ones”, responds Frederico Varandas about the Carlos Xavier case. Leo fans were at the airport supporting the team.
“For years I heard people refer to the people of Lisbon as Moors, in a xenophobic speech, allowing us to understand that in one part of Portugal there are the pure and there are the others, who are the Moors”, in an angry reaction from the president of Sporting Clube de Portugal (SCP) this afternoon in Beja as the club leaves for Austria where it will face Sturm Graz.
Frederico Varandas spoke to journalists upon his arrival at Beja airport, in reaction to the disciplinary process raised by the Disciplinary Council (CA) at the FPF following the words of former Sporting player Carlos Xavier in relation to Porto player Taremi.
The president of the SCP added that “I don't know that the CA has any idea, I think so, but Moors, are Saracens and those who practice Islam, As a Portuguese, I don’t find it funny and I believe Muslims won’t find it funny either.”, It is not clear what the club's position will be in the event of the Alvalade Stadium being closed between 2 and 5 games.
The Leo leader explained that “Carlos Xavier had an unfortunate comment that he retracted to everyone, because Sporting doesn't accept these types of comments. But there are people who can say whatever they want in this country.”, shot Frederico Varandas.
Heard exclusively by Lidador Notícias (LN), since the fans, sponsors and some club employees boarded before the team arrived, Manuel Fernandes, Sporting's eternal captain and goalscorer, expressed surprise at the initiation of the process by the FPF Disciplinary Council: “I know about this matter from you, I was unaware of this fact. It's to destabilize Sporting. This is playing with us. But I’ve seen and heard so many things in Portuguese football that nothing surprises me”, justifying that “we are the ,best team playing football in Portugal”, justified.
Sporting plays tomorrow at 20,00 hours, na Brands Arena, in Graz, against or Stirm Graz, in a game counting for Group D, of the UEFA Europe League Group Stage, which also includes Atalanta and Raków Czestochowa.
Bejenses fans support the team
More than a hundred Sporting fans were present outside Beja airport to welcome the team and leave their support, but also get a selfie and autographs.
Players, coach and president were warmly welcomed, without missing recognition for the inevitable Paulinho, the club's tireless equipment technician.
Before the team arrives, The fans and sponsors who were traveling on the same plane as the team were on board the HiFly plane to head to Graz, in Austria.
Suspicious but optimistic, Manuel Fernandes, the former Leo player commented exclusively to Lidador Notícias: “We have three teams to win and Atalanta is the strongest for me. The experience with Austrian teams was never very lucky for Sporting. It's a difficult game but we have everything to win. At this time, we are the best team playing football in Portugal”, finished.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
