Benfica, under suspicion of corruption by a “deficient” side

He Benfica is under suspicion of corruption in the party which the Portuguese prosecution considers “defective” and which ensured his passage to Champions League 2018the channels revealed TVI and CNN Portugal.

According to these media, the prosecutor’s office, based on the investigation carried out by the Portuguese Polícia Judiciária (PJ), believes that the match between Benfica and Moreirense in May 2018 could have been “flawed” and that the Lisbon players would have received a rival player as a “counterpart”.

Benfica won 1-0 in this match on the last day of the 2017/2018 Portuguese League, which, along with the 2-1 defeat of Sporting at Marítimo, guaranteed them second place and passage to the preliminary stage of the “Champions”.

The only winning goal came after a penalty shot by the Brazilian Jonas at the beginning of the second half. The offense occurred after a cross by the Spanish winger Álex Grimaldo, which was intercepted by the Guinean Alfa Semedo, a Moreirense player.

Semedo, who currently plays for Al Tai Saudi, went through Benfica’s academy, but the Lisbon club transferred him to Moreirense, where he was only in the 2017/2018 season.

The controversial game was the last one he played for the lowly club, as he was re-bought by Benfica for €2.5 million in exchange for 50% of his transfer fee and his sporting rights.

The prosecutor’s office understands that his signature could imply an “alleged criminal offense of sports corruption” because, as stated by the aforementioned media, it believes that Benfica re-hired the player as “compensation for the punishment committed”. The Guinean defensive midfielder played only 16 games for the first team of the Eagles, who later loaned him to Espanyol.

This is a new chapter in the scandals that followed the Lisbon club. Last January, his USA was named under investigation in a major sports corruption case, according to local press.

The events would take place during the tenure of the previous team president, Luis Filipe Vieira, also involved in various investigations. Vieira was arrested in July 2021 along with his son and two other businessmen after searches of 45 agencies to clarify deals of more than 100 million euros that could lead to various tax crimes and money laundering. After that, he left the board of Benfica after 18 years as president.