According to Record, Benfica President Rui Costa criticized referee Miguel Nogueira's handling for "inconsistent decisions" after his side lost 3-1 away to Porto. He believes Lenglet's red card in the 35th minute affected the match outcome.

Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone at Estádio do Dragão, Rui Costa stated: "Benfica started very well and controlled the game according to Marco Silva's tactical demands. We played very well in the first half hour, though our only mistake led to a goal conceded. Despite that, we remained in the game. Of course, playing with 10 men here is very different from 11 versus 11, and I believe if the numbers were equal, the result would have been different, and the match would have unfolded differently."

Regarding Lenglet's red card, Rui Costa said André Silva was only "slightly touched on the back of the neck," but the French center-back "couldn't take that risk." He said: "I won't dispute Lenglet's red card, although if you analyze it, André Silva complained about his face, but in reality it was just a light touch on the back of his neck, not even his face. But I won't dispute that decision, especially here when you already have a yellow card—you can't take such a risk. However, regarding the inconsistency in decisions, especially concerning disciplinary action, I'm convinced there's a very clear double standard. Benfica was heavily punished in this regard because Porto committed many fouls that, besides not being cautioned for normal infractions, added strength to one team while weakening the other."

Rui Costa continued: "Porto players committed a series of fouls that should have been punished, even before Lenglet was sent off. I saw a Porto player get a yellow card for showing his bloodied face to the referee, despite barely touching the ball when he was hit, and that wasn't even considered a foul. In that regard, while not excluding our own mistakes—because we did make mistakes later—the inconsistency in decisions, especially the disciplinary standard, was excessive."

Despite trailing Porto by five points, Rui Costa still believes in his team: "I have no doubt that Marco Silva's work and the players' efforts will bear fruit. Clearly, we didn't want to be five points behind at round seven, but just as we didn't enter Estádio do Dragão as national champions—we won't be champions even if we win—we're also not leaving here with the idea that we've lost or that the league is over, because the league still has a long way to go. The performance we showed when we had the chance demonstrates our strength, shows that we can win anywhere. The standings won't change just because we're five points behind. Two points against Académico de Viseu—you remember well how those were lost—and points here. This won't prevent this team from fighting for all our objectives. We didn't lose the championship here today; quite the opposite. The road is still long, and what we've done deserves the fans' confidence."

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