benfica denies claims of Rui Costa altercation after Champions League tie
Benfica has issued a firm denial of claims that club president Rui Costa was involved in a physical confrontation with a member of the opposing delegation following the club’s 1-0 home defeat on February 17, 2026 (ET). The denial comes after a Spanish radio journalist described an incident in which the team president and a non-playing member of the opposition delegation were said to have exchanged insults and come to blows in the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms.
What was alleged
The allegation describes a heated exchange that escalated into physical contact in the tunnel after the first-leg playoff match, which ended 1-0 against Benfica. The claim holds that there were shouts and insults before the altercation, and that staff intervened to separate the two parties. The person named in the reports was identified as a member of the opposing delegation who was neither a player nor a coach. The suggestion that the president of the club engaged in this level of confrontation amplified attention around an already tense evening at the stadium.
Benfica’s response
Benfica pushed back swiftly, labeling the allegation as "completely false and unfounded. " shared on the club’s social channels, the organisation rejected the suggestion that Rui Costa had taken part in any discussion or physical confrontation with a member of the opposing delegation. The club described the claim as an accusation that lacks any basis and stressed that the president was not involved in any such incident.
The denial is categorical. Benfica emphasized that there was no discussion or contact between Rui Costa and any member of the visiting delegation and framed the reports as misleading. The club’s swift rebuttal aims to close the matter quickly and limit any reputational damage or escalation between the two clubs and their supporters.
Match context and lingering tensions
The match itself was already controversial. Benfica lost 1-0 in the first leg of the playoff tie after an early goal from the visiting side. The evening was overshadowed by a separate on-field dispute: the visiting forward accused Benfica’s youngster of using a racial slur, an allegation that triggered a stoppage of play of around ten minutes. That episode drew significant reaction from players, staff and supporters, and heightened emotions across the stadium.
In a charged atmosphere, claims of an off-field confrontation added fuel to an already sensitive situation. Whether the alleged tunnel incident actually took place remains contested; the club’s denial makes clear it considers the narrative false. With tensions high after the match and headlines focusing on both the on-field accusation and the disputed post-match interaction, attention will shift to official channels for any formal enquiries or clarifications from competition authorities.
For now, Benfica maintains that its president was not involved in any altercation. The club’s statement seeks to draw a line under the allegation, while the wider controversies from the match will likely continue to be monitored by football authorities and observers as both legs of the playoff unfold.
