FC Porto celebrated their 31st Primeira Liga title on Saturday night, and made sure to rub it in with rivals Sporting.
Sporting CP had won the last two Portuguese crowns, but Francisco Farioli’s side dethroned them with two games to spare.
Later, the celebrations went outside of the Dragao Stadium to a podium in front of the fans, and Sporting were the target of abuse.
Gabri Veiga leads the taunts aimed at Frederico Varandas
Midfielder Gabri Veiga called out the Lisbon side’s president, Frederico Varandas, who said Porto were ‘afraid’ when they dropped points last month.
“They said we were very afraid. They said we played very little,” he told fans.
“They said that next year playing in the Champions League wouldn’t work.
“They said the president knew we wouldn’t make it because he was the coach. But here we are…”
Pepê also started a chant about Varandas telling him to ‘go to hell’, while there were rather strange scenes as Veiga uncovered a watermelon with the Sporting president’s picture on it.
He then dropped the fruit off the stage, narrowly missing a police officer.
William Gomes then referenced Sporting midfielder Pedro Goncalves who he had a skirmish with earlier this season.
“A hug to my friend Pote,” he said.
Porto players reference Sporting’s failed three-peat bid
Samu then added a barb, telling the crowd: “Three-time champions? Third place!”
“They said it was the three-peat, they said we were going to fall. And the champion is FC Porto, damn it!”
One person focusing on himself was coach Farioli, who was celebrating success a year on from his Ajax heartbreak.
Ajax gave up a nine point Eredivisie lead under the Italian, who was in a reflective mood.
Farioli reflects on Ajax heartbreak during Porto title speech
He said: “Football gives and takes away, I think we did something extraordinary at Ajax, unfortunately it didn’t end the way we wanted.
“Today I received several messages from my players from last season, from the management, and I think that today a little bit of this achievement is for them.
“My two sons are incredible fans, they always play FC Porto songs at home, it’s special to have this opportunity, in a unique moment, to experience it with the family is special.”
Farioli then later gave more details on what went wrong at Ajax.
“At the beginning of April, my Ajax team was top of the Eredivisie, nine points ahead of PSV. It seemed a foregone conclusion,” he said.
“There was also a certain mental fatigue and a certain pressure that’s characteristic of a dominant club like Ajax.
“I’m not superstitious at all, but during that period, I should have been walking around with four-leaf clovers and ladybugs, there was so much talk.
“I was the only one who kept repeating the motto that it’s never over until it’s over. What else can I say? Maybe I brought it on myself.”
Further explaining how things changed, he said: “The phone kept ringing. I could choose between the Premier League, Serie A, and La Liga—and I’m talking about clubs that qualify for European tournaments. Even Saudi Arabia.
“After that a few small clubs in Italy made inquiries, but nothing concrete.”
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