Portuguese clubs demand an 'end to discrimination' and appeal for limited fan return
All 18 top flight clubs have joined forces pleading for an end to what they see as 'discrimination' and request that limited number of supporters be permitted at league games.
The Portuguese league have taken the local government to task and have demanded an end to what they believe is 'discrimination' in comparing football to other events. In a jointly signed statement, the Liga NOS clubs demand that the government permits limited numbers of fans to attend game with the impact of no match-day revenue affecting the economic situation at many football clubs.
The move came about after the step was taken to approve the staging of the first game with fans in the Portuguese top flight since the beginning of the pandemic in March with 1,000 supporters permitted to watch Santa Clara face Gil Vicente this Saturday at the Estádio de São Miguel in Ponta Delgada (Azores) as a pilot scheme.
The initiative comes on the same day the Portuguese FA confirmed that there would be no fans permitted for the forthcoming national team games against Spain (friendly) and the Nations League qualifier against Sweden.
The 18 clubs added that 'football has served as an example' during the pandemic with clubs taking on a serious of measures to combat the virus and pointed to the fact that theatres, cinemas and music venues have been operational with reduced capacities.