Video: Pepe taunts Benfica fans after seeing red card as Di Maria scores vs. Porto
Former Real Madrid teammates Pepe and Angel Di Maria faced off in the Portuguese Super Cup. But the Argentine had a better night than the veteran defender, who saw the red card in the final minutes.
The 2023-24 European season is finally upon us, but we’ve already witnessed some interesting games. Shortly after the FA Community Shield, lifelong rivals Benfica and Porto clashed in the Portuguese Super Cup. Once teammates at Real Madrid, Angel Di Maria and Pepe were on opposite sides at the Estadio Municipal de Aveiro.
The reigning Primeira Liga champions got the upper hand, thanks to goals from the Argentine star and Petar Musa. The Lisbon-based outfit hit twice in just seven minutes in the second half.
While it was a perfect night for Di Maria in his first official appearance since returning to Portugal, Pepe had a forgettable game. After seeing the red card in the final minutes, the veteran defender taunted Benfica fans.
Video: Pepe shows Porto shirt to Benfica fans after seeing red card
Pepe saw the red card in stoppage time, taking his shirt off and showing it to Benfica supporters on his way off the field. However, that didn’t prevent the rivals from celebrating another title.
Porto will have a chance to redeem themselves in the Portuguese top-flight, in which Benfica will try to defend their crown. The 2023-24 Primeira Liga gets underway this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how the course of the campaign develops.
Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals—and for keeping a close eye on soccer icons Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.
