Kevin LustigFC Porto receive Champions League life-line
June 15th 2008 03:41
UEFA's appeals board rejected the decision to ban Portuguese club FC Porto from next season's Champions League on Friday, sending the matter back to the disciplinary committee for a rehearing. The decision means that Porto will get another chance to state their case for inclusion in the 2008/09 competition next week.
While this is undoubtedly positive news for FC Porto, who captured Portugal's SuperLiga championship last season, it would appear from the limited details released by UEFA that the appeals ruling was based largely on protocol, not the merits of Porto's case. The decision may have hinged on little more than a technicality, namely the fact that representatives of Vitoria and Benfica, clubs that stand to benefit from Porto's exclusion from UEFA competition, were not properly involved in UEFA's deliberations. What new evidence the groups from Vitoria and Benfica will bring to the table, and whether or not this will be enough to sway the members of the control and disciplinary board when Porto's situation is reconsidered, is unknown.
While this is undoubtedly positive news for FC Porto, who captured Portugal's SuperLiga championship last season, it would appear from the limited details released by UEFA that the appeals ruling was based largely on protocol, not the merits of Porto's case. The decision may have hinged on little more than a technicality, namely the fact that representatives of Vitoria and Benfica, clubs that stand to benefit from Porto's exclusion from UEFA competition, were not properly involved in UEFA's deliberations. What new evidence the groups from Vitoria and Benfica will bring to the table, and whether or not this will be enough to sway the members of the control and disciplinary board when Porto's situation is reconsidered, is unknown.
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