Rafael Leao has published a statement on social media after the red card that he received during Portugal’s friendly win over Chile.
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In Portugal’s 2-1 victory which came thanks to goals from Guedes and Bruno Fernandes, Leao was sent off by referee Zufferli for violent conduct shortly before half-time. The winger shoved his opponent Ivan Roman in the face, who was also sent off for inciting the brawl.
Taking to his social media profiles after the victory over the South Americans, Leao took the opportunity to explain his actions.
“First test completed. As for my sending off, I simply wanted to protect my team-mate, I had no intention of harming the opponent! Thanks to all the Portuguese who were at Jamor, the atmosphere was incredible, we’re all in this together.”
What happens now?
As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, violent conduct resulting in a red card, results in a two or three-match ban, which in this case would prevent Leao from starting the World Cup. However, there are a couple of precedents that give Portugal cause for concern.
One concerns their captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who was sent off last November for elbowing Ireland’s Dara O’Shea and subsequently only received a one-match ban.
The other, more recent, concerns Curaçao striker Jurgen Locadia, also sent off for elbowing Billy Gilmour in the friendly against Scotland.He received a one-match ban, to be served in another friendly, and his World Cup campaign was unaffected.
Portugal have a match against Nigeria scheduled, their last before the World Cup. Everything suggests Leao could miss that and then make his debut against the Democratic Republic of Congo.