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Luisao has 'clear conscience' as Fortuna Dusseldorf intend to report Benfica to Uefa over referee push
Aug 11, 2012 4:40:00 PM
The game was postponed after the 31-year-old defender physically confronted the match official, and the German side will now make an official complaint
Fortuna Dusseldorf will report Benfica to Uefa after Saturday's friendly match between the two sides was prematurely stopped after referee Christian Fischer was physically confronted by captain Luisao.After Fortuna midfielder Oliver Fink received a particularly late tackle from the Eagles' Javi Garcia, Luisao approached the referee and appeared to bodycheck him. The official remained on the ground motionless for a few seconds, and was eventually carried from the pitch.
Fortuna president Peter Frymuth was less than pleased with the Benfica players' behaviour, and threatened to liaise with the German federation and the Euriopean governing body about the incident.
"I'm shocked. I've been in football for many years and have never seen anything like it. I do not understand that players from a team with the reputation of Benfica, a team that play in the Champions League, have such an attitude," Frymuth was quoted as saying by A Bola.
"Let's get help from the German federation and talk with Uefa about Luisao, and about what other players of Benfica did. I hope they are severely punished.
"We should have been celebrating for ourselves, but we are now faced with a depressing action. We are speechless, we are dead with grief."
Frymuth also revealed that the referee refused to restart the game "Because of the behaviour of the players of Benfica."
But the Brazilian international maintained his innocence post match, speaking of his shock that the referee had gone down so easily.
"I was surprised. I did not make any move of aggression. I tried to be ahead of my colleagues and I saw the referee fall. I tried to talk to the assistants still on the pitch to explain my intention," the defender was quoted as saying by Record.
"I do not fear anything. I have a clear conscience and I will continue with my work."
Subsequently, the event has been described as a "lamentable display of theatre from the referee" on the Portuguese club's official website.
The incident occurred in the 38th minute of the match at Esprit Arena, with the score still 0-0 when it was stopped.
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Live!
Champions League final - LIVE!
German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.
4:54 PM BST
But what do the fans think? Well, yesterday Goal’s roving reporter Kris Voakes went along to the Uefa Champions Festival, which is being staged at the Olympic Park in Stretford, and he spoke with supporters from both sides.
Johannes, Munich, told Goal: "We haven't lost to Dortmund this season, and though we lost two finals [in 2010 and 2012], we are hoping the third time is a charm.
"Last year the English stole our trophy," interrupted his friend Benjamin, "but we are going to take in back to Munich where it belongs."
But Dortmund fan Nicolas says the loss of Mario Gotze to injury is not too much of a concern for Jurgen Klopp's side: “We have Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski, and yes, we will be fine without Gotze. We will win 2-0.”
Johannes, Munich, told Goal: "We haven't lost to Dortmund this season, and though we lost two finals [in 2010 and 2012], we are hoping the third time is a charm.
"Last year the English stole our trophy," interrupted his friend Benjamin, "but we are going to take in back to Munich where it belongs."
But Dortmund fan Nicolas says the loss of Mario Gotze to injury is not too much of a concern for Jurgen Klopp's side: “We have Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski, and yes, we will be fine without Gotze. We will win 2-0.”
4:44 PM BST
However, Dortmund simply cannot be discounted. They relish the role of underdogs and are not in the least bit afraid of their illustrious rivals, having now gone six Bundesliga games without defeat against die Roten. The last time these two met in a final, in last season’s DFB Pokal, Dortmund ran out 5-2 winners. As coach Jurgen Klopp pointed out this week: “We’re not the best team in the world, but we can beat the best team in the world."
4:43 PM BST
Bayern, of course, start as overwhelming favourites to prevail this evening, and understandably so. Not only did they mercilessly batter Barcelona into a shockingly tame capitulation at Camp Nou, they are also coming off the back of a record-breaking Bundesliga campaign which they finished a staggering 25 points clear of runners-up Dortmund, whom they are unbeaten against in four meetings this season.
4:40 PM BST
So, what do you think? Who will prevail this evening? Are Bayern going to banish the memory of last year’s devastating and inexplicable loss to Chelsea at the Allianz Arena? Or are Dortmund going to defy the odds once again and go from the brink of bankruptcy to Champions League winners in just eight years? Get in touch via Facebook and Twitter and I’ll be sure to post the best comments in here.
4:39 PM BST
Finals do not get much more appetising either. What we have here tonight is a game between the two best sides in Europe this season. There is just simply no disputing that. Dortmund have been beaten just once on their remarkable run to the final (quite the feat when you consider they were grouped with Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax), while Bayern have sparked giddy talk of a new era of die Roten dominance akin that enjoyed by the Bavarians in the 1970s by dismantling the likes of Juventus and, in particular, Barcelona on their way to Wembley.
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