Estoril has reportedly made the decision to contest the match in Chaves (2-2), and intends to formalize the challenge in the coming days, according to the sports press this Monday.

The leaders of the yellow team believe they were wronged by the expulsions of Marcelo Carné and Pedro Álvaro, following the invasion of the pitch by some Chaves fans, and feel that there were no safety conditions for the game to be resumed, contrary to the decision made by referee Nuno Almeida.

Should Estoril’s desired challenge be successful, it could have a direct impact on the championship's relegation battle, with the League having another ‘thorny’ case on its hands.

Chaos on the pitch

For several minutes, a scene of genuine chaos unfolded on the pitch of the Estádio Municipal Engenheiro Manuel Branco Teixeira. At a time when the match was already in stoppage time, some Chaves fans invaded the pitch, one of whom sought to confront goalkeeper Marcelo Carné.

The goalkeeper reacted and was assisted by his teammates. At this point, more fans entered the pitch and the police lost control of the situation, with an exchange of blows taking place, with Estoril defender Pedro Álvaro violently kicking a Chaves fan, who fell to the ground immediately.

Nuno Almeida waited for the police to manage to put an end to the confusion before deciding to expel Pedro Álvaro and Carné, with the latter visibly outraged by the decision and having to be ‘dragged’ off the pitch by his colleague Mangala and two other Estoril officials.

With no more substitutions available, Vasco Seabra was forced to put forward João Carlos in goal and Chaves would end up drawing the match just before the final whistle through Hélder Morim.

Chaves points the finger at Carné

The Chaves board issued a statement after the incident and pointed the finger at the Estoril goalkeeper, accusing him of having caused the whole situation.

"We vehemently condemn everything that happened, which arose from the successive provocations that Marcelo Carné, goalkeeper of Estoril Praia, made towards our fans present [in the stand] Topo Sul", the Chaves club stated.

Estoril speaks of an advantage given to Chaves

In turn, the president of Estoril’s SAD, Ignacio Beristain, regretted everything that happened on the pitch and said he did not accept the "advantage" given to Desportivo de Chaves.

"Our players, in defending themselves from the aggression, were sent off by the referee. All of us who were here saw that there were no conditions to [continue] the match, the regulation time had already been completed, there were Estoril Praia players who were assaulted on the pitch, and so we asked the referee to suspend the match, but, as you saw, it was decided to continue in [a context] in which it was not possible to play football and those who were assaulted suffered the loss", said the yellow club official.

League demands "unyielding" action

Liga Portugal also immediately condemned the events in Chaves, challenging the authorities to be "unyielding" with the offenders.

"Liga Portugal also urges the competent authorities to be unyielding with those who, thanks to unacceptable attitudes, disrupted the normal course of the match in question", could be read in the institution's statement.

PSP arrested six fans and identified one player

In a statement, the PSP explained that "at 5:26 pm, when the football match was still taking place, there was an invasion of the area of the sports event, with the three teams still on the pitch".

It was then that the police took action and arrested the six fans, aged between 30 and 60, for "suspicion of committing the crime of invading the area of the sports event".

A player was also identified for "suspicion of committing the crime of assault and battery".

Read Also: League condemns incidents at Chaves-Estoril and demands "unyielding" action (Portuguese version)