Belenenses named nine players in their starting line up for their Primeira Liga clash with Benfica on Saturday Night.
The Portuguese side had just nine players available for the tie against Benfica due to COVID-19 outbreak at the club and were reluctant to cancel the fixture due to fear of being punished by the league body as they went ahead with the game without a full strength squad as they named two goalkeepers in their starting XI and went without substitutions in order to meet the stated requirements for an official match.
It is believed that 17 players and staff were tested positive for Covid at the Portuguese club ahead of the game.
As a result, both goalkeepers Joao Monteiro and Alvaro Ramalho were named in Belenenses’ starting XI. However, it was only Ramalho who stood between the sticks as Monteiro was forced to adopt the role of a right-back for the Primeira Liga clash at the Estadio do Restelo.
The results of fielding a weak team was that Belenenses went 1-0 down after just one minute following an own goal from Eduardo Kau
Benfica were seven nil up at halftime and at the start of the second half Belenenses decided to bring proceedings to a halt after three of their players were taken off leaving six remaining on the field, thereby inducing a walkover victory for Benfica.
However, speaking ahead of the game, was Belenenses president Rui Pedro Soares who said that his team had not requested a suspension and were able to play.
He said: ‘We have 38 players registered and we trust them all. Therefore the decision is up to health authorities.
“We will wait and are going to respect their decision.
Benfica went into the game table in third position and had hoped to close the gap on league leaders Porto.
