Sporting deny Arouca´s spit allegation against president

Sporting CP have denied an allegation that president Bruno de Carvalho spat at his Arouca counterpart, Carlos Pinho, following a Primeira Liga fixture this month.

Footage of the pair clashing in the tunnel of the Estadio Jose Alvalade following Sporting’s 3-0 victory over Arouca on November 6 emerged this week.

The duo were separated by security officials and an official statement from Arouca included a claim Pinho was spat at by De Carvalho.

“It is clear and unequivocal that the president of Sporting did not make available all the images relating to the facts… the video is absolutely incomplete,” the club’s release read.

“In fact, without needing to be a great image editor, we can easily verify that the president of Sporting spits in the face of the president of Arouca.

“The images are revealing and do not lie.”

However, Sporting have rejected the claim, insisting what can be seen in footage is De Carvalho exhaling after the use of an electronic cigarette.

“The President of Sporting is, with all his flaws and virtues, a civilised man and would never [spit],” a statement on Sporting director of communications Nuno Saraiva’s Facebook page read.

“What we see, and is clear, is that the president of Sporting is smoking an electronic cigarette. The only thing that comes out of his mouth is vapour.”