Duarte Pacheco: «I believe in Vieira’s project for Benfica, if it’s for Novo Banco, you have to pay» – Benfica

Duarte Pacheco, deputy for the Social Democratic Party, explained this Monday that he supports Luís Filipe Vieira as president of Benfica but separates the “waters” in terms of personal issues that he may have pending in relation to Novo Banco.

“If so, I automatically withdraw from the debate immediately. I don’t feel [a interferir] because I believe in his project for Benfica. Final point. If you owe Novo Banco, you have to pay. I like Pedro Abrunhosa. There are those who ask in PSD and CDS, given what he said about Professor Cavaco Silva, of whom I am a fan, if I like it. Yes, I like it, because I like the music and the lyrics of Pedro Abrunhosa. I’m going to the concert. We have to separate things. Here [relativamente ao Benfica] it’s the same thing. I believe in the project you have for Benfica. If there was an incorrect management of the assets that generated losses and must be held responsible for it, let the Justice act. One thing has nothing to do with the other ”, he reiterated in an interview with ‘ECO’ where he made a difference for Rui Rio. PSD president guaranteed that the debut of the link between football and politics should not occur. “I always thought that the mix between politics and professional football was bad,” he stressed on September 12. Duarte Pacheco was part of Luís Filipe Vieira’s honor committee and justified the decision.

“If I had the same opinion as him, I would not have accepted the invitation that they made me. It is true, nothing else is worth saying here. I realize that it is difficult, but many times we ourselves want to go after what is politically correct … that [o apoio] it does not interfere in the least. Let’s be ourselves. If the person likes soccer, they like soccer. If you like bullfighting, you like bullfighting. I know political agents who, before taking office, watched bullfights. They took office and stopped going. What is the reason for taking away a part of what they like just because they have assumed a certain role? I did not appreciate the management of António Costa or Mário Centeno in the Finance portfolio because they were benfiquistas ”, defended the deputy.