Referee João Pinheiro was selected this Thursday to direct the game between Benfica and FC Porto, on Sunday, in the 11th round of the 1st Portuguese Football league, revealed the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).
The referee of the Braga association, 36 years old and international since 2016, has already been in 13 games between the ‘bigs’, including three classics between ‘eagles’ and ‘dragons’, his assistants will be Bruno Jesus and Luciano Maia as the fourth referee It will be Fábio Veríssimo. The video referee will be Tiago Martins and Pedro Martins.
João Pinheiro refereed the two classics of the 2023/24 championship, which ended with Benfica’s victory at home, 1-0, with a goal from Ángel Di María, and the defeat imposed by FC Porto, 5-0, with goals of Galeno (two), Wendell, Pepê and Danny Namaso.
Previously, he had already refereed the ‘red’ triumph on the ‘blue and white’ field, 1-0, in 2022/23, sealed with a goal from Rafa Silva.
In addition to the classics between the ‘eagles’ and ‘dragons’, João Pinheiro has already played in eight games between Sporting and FC Porto and in two classics between the ‘greats’ of Lisbon.
The game between Benfica, third place with 22 points, but one game less, and FC Porto, second with 27, is scheduled for Sunday, at 8:45 pm, at Estádio da Luz, in Lisbon, two hours after champion Sporting, who leads the championship with 30, visit Sporting de Braga, fourth with 20, under refereeing by Luís Godinho, from the Évora association.
