It happened 29 years ago one of the most remarkable episodes of Portuguese football and the Portuguese Cup, in particular. A Very Light flew over the Jamor stadium and eventually hit a Sporting fan, which died during the derby between Benfica and Sporting (1995/96).
The two teams meet at the end of this time, in what promises to be another scorching game and the return to a stage of great memories, even though some would rather erase some of the thought. Carlos Xavier was a starter in the fateful meeting and guarantees that what happened that day was 'ridiculous', as he must have been suspended.
«The memories (from the 1995/96 final) are the worst and, no matter how much we want to erase them from thought, we will never forget them. What was inadmissible that day is that the game continued. We had just watched a death at the stadium. It is the football we have, what happened was ridiculous. After knowing the news, we all got upset and sad for the loss of a Sporting partner. If it were with a Benfica member, it was the same, ”said the former lions player.
Across the field was Mauro Airez, the author of one of the three incarnated goals in the final (3-1), who admits that he had a complicated phase after the incident and all because … of a celebration. The Argentine striker explains that he celebrated near the zone where the adept died and in himself a “inevitable sense of guilt”.
“I didn't walk very well for a while, because I thought that if I had not had the celebration… I celebrated a few meters to the left side of Sporting's goal, near the zone where the fan died. It was like an inevitable feeling of guilt. When I left the pitch and start running in the tunnel, because it was a very hot day and I was full of thirst, I found an ambulance that was leaving the stadium and almost ran over me. As he returned to the second half, it was seen that there was a huge flash on the bench and bloodstains, ”he said.
Now, 29 years later there is a new Lisbon derby in Jamor, with new protagonists and a new opportunity to write history in Portuguese football.
