Benfica Confirm Injuries to 2 Players Following Post-Match Bus Attack
By Tom Gott
Benfica have confirmed that two first-team players required hospital treatment after being injured in an attack on the team bus following their first match since the coronavirus pandemic halted football.
The Eagles missed the chance to move top of Liga NOS on Thursday as they slipped to a frustrating 0-0 draw against minnows Tondela. Despite dominating on the stats sheet, Benfica could not make their chances count and remain behind Porto on goal difference.
La violencia volvió con el fútbol a Portugal; 2 heridos en ataque a bus del Benfica https://t.co/HkHmfWQknS pic.twitter.com/HiKHsUiVTE
— Pulzo (@pulzo) June 5, 2020
The match was played behind closed doors, but several fans gathered outside the stadium to support their teams. However, after the game, the Benfica bus was attacked by fans, and both Julian Weigl and Andrija Živković were left needing treatment after being hit by shattered glass.
"Benfica denounce and lament the criminal stoning the bus of its players was victim to," the club wrote on their official website. "We guarantee total collaboration with authorities to whom we appeal for the greatest effort to be made in identifying the delinquents responsible for these criminal acts."
The attack didn't end there as Portuguese police confirmed to outlet Lusa that the houses of several Benfica players were vandalised overnight, and there were even suggestions that those responsible were actually Benfica supporters.
Weigl appeared to believe that the perpetrators were Benfica fans, taking to Instagram after the incident to confirm he was alright after leaving hospital.
"I just want to let you know that I’m ok," he wrote. "We were really lucky!
"We are all doing mistakes but there was a line crossed! Throwing rocks on a bus without caring if someone gets hurt? I know that’s not how the real Benfica fans are!
Durante a noite, foram vandalizadas as casas de Bruno Lage, Pizzi e Rafa. pic.twitter.com/WeNtVL1O9i
— Benfica Stuff (@Benficastuff) June 5, 2020
"Especially these past weeks and days should have shown us that it’s always the better solution to stand together instead of literally throwing rocks at each other!"
The bus attack brought back memories of an incident involving the Benfica supporters' bus back in 2018, in which one fan was left hospitalised with serious injuries after being attacked on his way home from a game against Braga.