"The chairman of the Portuguese referees called me before refereeing Benfica’s matches", said former FIFA referee Marco Ferreira. At only 38 years, he was abruptly relegated from international referee to the second division, just a few days after refereeing the Cup final. He decided to quit. Now he complains that the chairman of the Portuguese referees, Vitor Melo Pereira, pressures referees to favour Benfica: "My colleagues do not report it because they fear that Pereira will end their careers, as he did with mine".
- What went through your head when you received the news of being relegated to the second division?
- I was shocked. The news came only 15 days after I refereed the final of the Portuguese Cup, between Sporting and Braga; one of the biggest games of the season. There was no sign that could make me think they would send me to the second division. The same people who relegated me, a few days earlier appointed me to referee the Cup final. Very curious!
- Did you find an explanation?
- Besides having refereed the Cup final, in January of the same year I was promoted as a FIFA referee. The only explanation I can find is that last season I refereed Benfica three times and they lost two matches. I believe that's why I did not get any “El Classico”.
- Why do you think that?
- I and many colleagues received calls from the chairman of the Referees Committee, Vitor Melo Pereira, during the week when we were appointed to referee Benfica. Vitor Pereira has many enemies and many opponents, including people within the Referees Committee and many clubs. He is not wanted there, but he is supported by Benfica.
- Did you make any controversial decisions in those two defeats of Benfica?
- At Braga, in October, the game did not go well, but for both teams. After that match, Benfica protested and told me I would never referee them again. Since then, I indeed did not referee any other important match for Benfica.
- I understand…
- In the last season I was considered the second best referee of Portugal after Proenca. I refereed Benfica – Sporting twice and Porto – Benfica once, and all games went well.
- Do you think that the Portuguese referees are aware that they cannot be wrong against Benfica, as long as Pereira leads the Referees Committee?
- I'm not going to say that Vitor Pereira speaks to the referees to ask them to favour the club. I do not say that. What I say is that he (Pereira) does that because he knows that Benfica is the only club that supports him. So he does not want any referee who can cause problems to Benfica. Benfica have never talked to me or called me for favouring them. But Vitor Pereira did. During the week when I had the Benfica match, he called me suggesting being careful. He only called before Benfica matches. He never called me before a game of Porto, for example. And not only me, many colleagues...
- What exactly did Pereira say when he called you?
- After Braga – Benfica that I told you about, Pereira appointed me for Rio Ave – Benfica. During that week, he called twice: on Tuesday and Thursday. On Thursday he said that if I will have a good match, he could appoint me for Benfica – Porto in April. He said to be careful because it "was the title match for Benfica". I said no, that was not the title game, because Benfica had four points advantage over Porto. And he answered: "It's very different to play against Porto in April with an advantage of four points versus two points or one". This, in my view, is serious, because he was clearly referring to Benfica.
- And how did the Rio Ave – Benfica match go?
- Benfica was winning 1-0 when I awarded a penalty kick for Rio Ave and sent off the captain of Benfica. Rio Ave came back with 2-1, but they were the right decisions. It was a good match. Pereira never called me again since then and did not appoint me to Benfica – Porto.
- He never called you after that?
- He did not. He said that the game would have to go well for me to be appointed for Benfica – Porto. I had a good match, but I was not appointed. So it means that, for him, a good game is only when Benfica wins.
- Would it be correct to say that Vitor Pereira called the referees to pressure them to favour Benfica?
- He calls the referees just before Benfica’s matches. He does not call anyone before any other games or for any other club.
- Why did you not report the case to court?
- I have complained to the Federation and they sent the complaint to the Disciplinary Committee of the Portuguese League. I declared that last week.
- How are referees selected for matches in Portugal?
- Vitor Pereira is free to choose whoever he wants.
- And there is no bad atmosphere among the referees for these attitudes of the chairman of the Referees Committee?
- Yes, it is, but they are afraid to denounce and put an end to it because they are afraid that Pereira will end their careers as he did with mine. I'm an example for them of what can happen. I was an international referee and never in the history of Portugal was an international referee relegated directly to the second division.
- Can someone make a good living from refereeing in Portugal?
- Yes. I am from the island of Madeira and I refereed all the matches on the continent. I travelled by plane and invested much time, so I could not have another professional activity other than refereeing.
- How much makes an international referee in Portugal?
- Depends on the matches, but he earns a fixed salary of 2,500 euros per month. In addition, 1,200 euros per match in the first division and 800 euros in the second division. No one became rich from refereeing.
- Is there any relationship between your story and the complaints from Porto that Benfica plays almost always with numerical superiority on the field?
- I cannot say yes. I'd say that my colleagues have given up to the pressure of Pereira. But it is normal for a person to see this situation from outside and draw such conclusions. What I can say is that Pereira calls the referees before Benfica’s matches. But if that has an effect on the field I cannot say for sure.
- Do you have any knowledge that, at some point, money were involved to favour Benfica?
- I do not think so. I would like to make it clear that Benfica never called or contacted me to ask for anything. Never! I was a referee for nine years and Benfica or any other club has not made me this kind of offer. I think it is an initiative of Vitor Pereira in the interest of pleasing the only club that supports him.
- How much Pereira makes as a chairman of the Referees Committee?
- They say 8,000 euros per month, but I am not sure.
- Why the other clubs do not act in this situation?
- I think they do and therefore do not support him.
- How do you think the Portuguese football would react to this story? It's bad...
- That's why I chose AS, being outside of Portugal and with a big international name. So it will have more impact in Portugal and elsewhere.
- How difficult was your decision to quit refereeing?
- I needed to quit in order to denounce what happens. I could not do it as a referee, because there are sanctions against the officials who publicly criticize the Referees Committee.
- I have one last question: why Vitor Pereira appointed you to the Cup final if he planned your relegation?
- He did that because it was a highly competitive and very hot match; if I would have done any mistakes, he would have had reasons to relegate me. The problem was that I did well and he ran out of arguments. I was the first and only international referee in the history of Madeira. Nobody can take it away from me.
Source: AS
