Portugal secured a valuable 2-1 win over Norway yesterday, Sunday, in the UEFA Nations League. But the match witnessed a late incident that particularly angered the side coached by Ståle Solbakken.
According to the newspaper "AS", the final minutes saw a violent tackle by Portugal's Bernardo Silva on Norway's star, Martin Ødegaard.
The captain himself erupted in anger, first on the pitch and then after the match in front of the media.
Silva, the Real Madrid player who came on for Nieto in the 87th minute, pressed the Arsenal player and struck him from behind away from the ball. Ødegaard quickly turned to reprimand him for what he had done.
Visibly angry, the Norwegian captain limped on the pitch.
Later, he unloaded on Silva in his comments to the media, saying: "I took a blow to my ankle. Maybe I won't be okay tonight... It was crazy, he lost his temper over a pointless piece of play. He knocked me to the ground long after I had passed the ball. I don't understand what he was trying to do."
He added: "I don't know what he is doing. This has no place on a football pitch. It's a shame that people behave this way."
Pressed on what he had said, he continued: "What did I say to him? I don't think it's appropriate to talk about this on television. You'll have to ask him. I don't know what he is doing. This behaviour is unacceptable on a football pitch. It's a shame that people behave like this, but that's life."
Norway's Patrick Berg also criticised Bernardo Silva for his conduct, saying: "It was a horrible act. A deliberate tackle, he just kicked him. A completely unnecessary act. It's very sad, Martin seemed to be in a lot of pain."
Benfica's Schjelderup echoed this view, saying: "It's part of the game, yes, but it was a late and harsh tackle. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but unfortunately, referees can't see everything." Speaking from the mixed zone, Bernardo Silva offered a simple reply: "It's football, my friend..."
Bernardo's greeting to his former Manchester City teammate, Erling Haaland, at the end of the match was not friendly at all.
The Norwegian media relayed the news, hoping it is only a minor incident for their captain, Martin Ødegaard.