BENFICA stars Julian Weigl and Andrija Zivkovic were taken to hospital on Thursday night after their team bus attacked with stones.
The Portuguese side had the chance to leapfrog Porto to go top of the Primeira Liga, only to draw with lowly Tondela.
And some Benfica supporters weren’t happy with the performance in their first game back from their three-month lockdown, breaking the team bus’ glass and injuring two stars.
The coach was attacked on a stretch of motorway between Benfica’s Estadio de la Luz stadium and their training facility.
Weigl, 24, and Zivkovic, 23, were taken to hospital for their injuries as a precaution.
The club quickly released a statement condemning the revolting attack.
It read: “Sport Lisboa and Benfica denounce and lament the criminal stoning the bus of its players was victim to.
“We guarantee total collaboration with authorities to whom we appeal for the greatest effort to be made in identifying the delinquents responsible for these criminal acts.”
HOSPITAL DASH
In the release, Benfica also revealed Weigl and Zivkovic had suffered injuries after being struck by “shrapnel”.
They claimed: “We inform that, as a matter of precaution, players Julian Weigl and Zivkovic were immediately taken to Hospital da Luz to be observed, following the shrapnel that hit them.”
The match was played behind closed doors, with the Estadio de la Luz filled with 21,116 scarves rather than fans.
But some supporters had earlier flocked to the gates of the Lisbon stadium just to be close to the action and ramp up the atmosphere from the outside.
Former QPR attacking midfielder Adel Taarabt – named Man of the Match for the Tondela draw – criticised his side’s lack of cutting edge in from of goal.
Taarabt said: “We started well, and if we managed to score in the first 30 minutes the game would be completely different.
“It was hard to play against an entire team behind the ball line, all of them defending.
“We played, played, forced, but we couldn’t score. We’re disappointed with the result.
“We missed our fans, but no excuses. There are nine games left to play and we’ll give everything to be champions”
Benfica now sit level with Porto on 60 points at the top of the Primeira Liga standings after their loss to Famalicao on Wednesday – leading their rivals on goal difference – with nine games to play.
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By: Dave Fraser
Title: Benfica stars Weigl and Zivkovic rushed to hospital after team bus attacked with stones after Tondela draw
Sourced From: www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11788771/benfica-bus-attacked-weigh-zivkovic-hospital/
Published Date: Fri, 05 Jun 2020 05:21:47 +0000
