Jose Mourinho and the newly re-elected Rui Costa were fuming after a 2-2 home draw to Casa Pia.
The result means Benfica have had their worst start to a season since 2018/19 when they had 23 points from 11 games, as opposed to 25 this time around.
On that occasion Rui Vitoria was sacked and Bruno Lage would win the league, but Costa, who was re-elected in the early hours of the morning, was keen to delve into refereeing conspiracies post-match.
“Today we had further proof of how sick Portuguese football is,” he said.
“Not shirking our responsibilities, but a penalty like this shows a complete lack of understanding of the rules of the game.
“Enough is enough, this weekend represents what Portuguese football has become. Today, a penalty against the laws of the game.
“We are not shirking our responsibilities, the team needs to want much more, but it is unacceptable to give a penalty like this that reopens the game. It’s not dubious, it’s very clear. The law is clear.
“This weekend represents what Portuguese football is. Yesterday there was a phantom corner [Sporting won at Santa Clara], a goal kick that led to a corner and then a goal, and today there was a penalty against the laws of the game that reopens a game that was 2-0.
“The players need to want much more, but it is unacceptable that this happens. The ball goes to the arm and then to the chest, and the law is very clear about these types of situations. It’s not even a dubious situation.
“The referee may misjudge the moment, but VAR cannot, and there have been many such incidents.”
Mourinho took a similar tone, blaming the officials but also his own team.
“Our fault, the referee’s fault, the VAR’s fault… And by saying ‘error’ I’m being kind,” he began.
“The first half was good until we scored. Good dynamics and intensity against a block of 10 players at the edge of the area, but a lot of movement on the wings. We tried hard to get into the area and scored a good goal.
“Then we entered a period – our own fault – where it was time to continue as we were, where we lacked the ambition and instinct that Benfica must have.
“Then in the second half we improved again, made it 2-0, the game was dead, and if I were to comment on the referee’s and VAR’s performance, then we would have to analyze what happened yesterday and a week ago, and I don’t want to go into that.
“It’s strange… difficult to understand how the referee decides, but even more difficult to understand why VAR didn’t intervene in an obvious play, one of the great examples of what UEFA, FIFA and leagues at the start of the season present as clear examples.
“I want to be soft and balanced and say that the referee and VAR were wrong. But no, when the referee is wrong, VAR helps… and why didn’t it help? I can’t answer what happened yesterday and last week either.
“During certain periods of the game, Benfica’s players need to have more ambition and personality. It’s difficult to explain without going down paths I can’t go down, under penalty of being penalized later.”
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