Fuming Porto want compensation
March 25, 2010 14:07:25 UK
FC Porto are to seek compensation from the Portuguese league federation after seeing Hulk's four month suspension slashed to three games, when he has already missed 17.
Hulk was initially suspended along with team-mate Cristian Sapunaru (banned for six months) after a tunnel bust-up in Benfica last December.
Porto then appealed the decision and the federation has now reduced the bans to three and four games.
This means that Hulk is now available for FC Porto's trip to Belenenses on Sunday. (Belenenses 8/1, FC Porto 4/11, draw 7/2).
Porto's league challenge has wavered since the bans, as their star centre-forward has missed their last 17 games, when it turns out he is only banned for three.
"Finally we have the decision of the Portuguese Football Federation's Council of Justice to remove Hulk's and Sapunaru's punishments, after nearly three months of absence," said FC Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira.
"When I said it was a disgrace, it seems that I was right.
"All this damaged Porto, it's players. They are major investments and we feel aggrieved."
Porto have released a statement announcing they have "instructed their lawyers to bring the appropriate measures of accountability and compensation" against both the league and its directors, and the repercussions are already being felt with the league president handing in his resignation.
At the time of the suspension's Porto were just one point behind league-leaders Benfica, but they now sit third, 11 points off the lead with seven games remaining.
Porto can still be backed to win the Superliga and are 25/1 to do so, with leaders Benfica 1/7 and second place Braga 9/2.
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