The Disciplinary Council (CD) of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) acquitted the Sporting footballer Morten Hjulmand, rejecting the complaint presented by FC Porto that had led to the opening of a disciplinary file against the Danish player.
The news was announced on Monday afternoon by the national sports press. According to FC Porto, Hjulmand allegedly committed an attack during the Sporting-AVS match in the quarterfinals of the Portuguese Cup, which Sporting won 3-2 (after extra time) on February 5.
The incident in question occurred in extra time, in the 115th minute, between Hjulmand and Tiago Galletto: after an aerial duel, Galletto was hit on the head by the Dane, and both players complained on the pitch. The score was 2-2 at the time and Sporting scored the winning goal through Geny Catamo two minutes later.
Believing that the play began with a foul by Galletto on Hjulmand, referee André Narciso awarded a free kick in favor of Sporting. After the complaint from FC Porto and the opening of the case, the FPF Disciplinary Council concluded, in its final decision (with statements from the referee team led by André Narciso and Bruno Esteves in the VAR), that the assessment made on the field cannot be reviewed by the disciplinary bodies.
After eliminating AVS, Sporting faced FC Porto in the Cup semi-finals: the first leg was played in Alvalade on March 3 and was won by Rui Borges’ team 1-0, with a goal from Luis Suárez. The return match does not yet have a set date, but it is expected to take place between April 21 and 23 at the Estádio do Dragão.
In the other semi-final, Fafe and Torreense face each other, after having tied 1-1 in the first leg, in Fafe, on February 4.
