FPF Referee Council Deems AVS-Sporting Officiating ‘Unsatisfactory

Published on: 2026-05-13 | Author: admin

Rafael Nel no chão após disputa de bola (Photo by Miguel LEMOS / AFP via Getty Images)

Two weeks after the controversial incident, the verdict is in. The disputed moment between Sporting’s Rafael Nel and AVS’s Devenish during the Lions’ trip to Vila das Aves on April 27 has impacted the evaluation by the Referee Council (CA) of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).

On Tuesday, the body released the assessments for Matchday 31 and the postponed Matchday 26 clash between Casa Pia and Sp. Braga. The incident occurred in first-half stoppage time (45+1), when Rafael Nel went down in the penalty area following a challenge with the AVS defender.

Referee Pedro Ramalho, after being alerted by the VAR, reviewed the footage but did not deem it a foul (while also incorrectly citing the player’s shirt number). As a result, the CA rated the overall officiating as “unsatisfactory,” while João Casegas’s video assistant refereeing was deemed “very satisfactory.”

For the other ‘big’ clubs’ matches, officiating ratings were positive.

**Matchday 26**

Casa Pia vs. Sp. Braga

Refereeing: Satisfactory