FC Porto have strongly denied one of the allegations against them following their draw against Sporting, but not the others.
The two Primeira Liga title contenders clashed on Monday night and things ended all square despite Sporting feeling they’d been played.
The Lisbon side had to deal with fireworks outside their hotel the night before, and they’ve since claimed loudspeakers were placed in the away end to drown out fans.
From the team’s perspective, they also allege that the away dressing room temperature was at its maximum and not adjustable, and that posters of Porto‘s successes had been put up.
However, the latter point has now been dismissed, with various clips and evidence showing the posters and newspaper cuttings have been up since the summer for fans doing stadium tours of the Dragao.
Addressing the latter point, Porto said: “Sporting’s statement was based on distorted facts, falsehoods and conspiracy theories, and an evident inferiority complex.
“We complied with all the regulatory requirements and procedures proposed by the League, collaborating, as always, with the competent authorities.
“Therefore, the club is perfectly comfortable with any participation or investigation by the Disciplinary Council, to whom it will provide all the clarifications they deem necessary.”
Going in even further, Porto president Andre Villas-Boas went in two-footed on Sporting.
“At FC Porto, we understand that greatness and history are unsettling,” he said.
“Not everyone deals well with a record that isn’t written in press releases, nor with an identity that isn’t built under the cover of a false moral superiority and convenient hypocrisy, repeated so many times until it seems true.
“FC Porto will continue to defend sporting truth with the tranquility of those who don’t need to shout to exist, and with the firmness of those who don’t confuse press releases with reality.”
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