FC Porto boss Sergio Conceicao is in the headlines again after he and his son confronted a referee at a youth game over the international break.
Whilst attending a recent u9s match, Sergio Conceicao and his son Moises appeared to confront the referee over decisions in the game.
Footage from the incident seems to show the two making comments towards the referee, before Conceicao Sr. makes to touch the referee’s face, with the official pulling away.
Another figure, reportedly the mayor of Cartaya, steps in and tries to usher the Conceicaos away, before a bit of a scuffle between the mayor and Moises Conceicao.
The confrontation continues into the tunnel, at which point the camera loses sight of the Conceicaos.
O JOGO teve acesso ao vídeo, filmado da bancada, do momento em que Sérgio Conceição, acompanhado pelo filho Moisés, estão no relvado com o árbitro e o alcaide pic.twitter.com/3o0A3riClt
— O Jogo (@ojogo) March 25, 2024
The mayor went on to allege that Conceicao hit a referee, police officers, and the mayor himself, though this evidently isn’t shown in the footage.
Conceicao’s lawyer has confirmed he’s taking legal action for “attempted assault” for the push on his son, as well as making a criminal complaint about “defamatory allegations” by the mayor.
Following Arsenal’s penalty-shootout win over FC Porto, Sergio Conceicao went to the media to claim that Mikel Arteta had insulted his family. Various Arsenal sources have been very clear that this did not happen.
That wasn’t the first time Conceicaco had made such a claim. Back in 2020, after his Porto side lost to Manchester City, the manager said something similar about Pep Guardiola.
“He spoke about our country using ugly words,” Conceicao claimed then. “Guardiola’s attitude was extremely unpleasant.”
Then in 2021, after his Porto side were eliminated by Chelsea, Conceicao said of Thomas Tuchel: “I was insulted by this man who is next door.
“I heard some insults, but it’s gone … it’s not pretty and my irritation in the end had to do with it.”
A common factor between all three incidents is that Porto hadn’t got the result they wanted on the night, either losing or being eliminated from the Champions League.
Conceicao has a very bad reputation in Portugal, where he’s been sent off 14 times with Porto alone, including four times last season. Across his career, he’s up to 24 red cards.
Those familiar with Portuguese football speak of the manager being a “sore loser” and someone who isn’t above resorting to insults of his own when things go wrong for him.
Now he’s filing for “attempted assault” for the incident in the above video? You can make your own mind up on that one.