The Hope of Pokura

### Chapter 21: The Hope of Pokura

The Portuguese Super Cup match between Porto and Benfica stirred significant public opinion across the football community.

Firstly, the game was marked by several large-scale conflicts between Porto and Benfica, which added a dramatic flair to the event. An always bland game can be tiresome to watch, so some excitement was a welcome change.

The game also exposed a scandal involving Benfica player Rocha, who racially discriminated against and insulted Porto player Quaresma's relatives. This sensitive topic in European football brought the issue of racism to the forefront once again.

What's more intriguing is how Quaresma exacted his revenge. With incredible precision, he managed to flip the ball out of bounds and hit Rocha's face so accurately that it was obvious it wasn't accidental. This spectacular move was something that could be recorded in football history.

Later, Pepe's flying tackle on Rocha, in retaliation for Quaresma, kept the game engaging. However, the final result of the match seemed less significant in the wake of these incidents.

Racial discrimination is not a trivial matter. Although many harbor discriminatory views, publicly everyone seems united against it. Anti-racial discrimination is more than just a slogan; it's a deeply ingrained value.

Neither the Benfica Club nor Rocha, who was lying in the hospital, admitted to insulting Quaresma's mother or committing racial discrimination. However, in the face of absolute truth, all lies seemed ridiculous.

A specialized lip-reading expert repeatedly watched the game video and confirmed that Quaresma was telling the truth.

"I heard that you are a Gypsy, and your father abandoned you early, so I want to know, what did your mother do to raise you?" Rocha's words were exposed, confirming his racial discrimination and insult.

This incident caused quite a stir.

Although Gypsies are still not well-regarded in Europe, racial discrimination is publicly condemned. Rocha's actions were criticized by countless people, making him a pariah.

Soon, the Portuguese Football Association's investigation team announced their findings and provided a penalty plan.

Benfica player Rocha was punished with an 8-game suspension for racial discrimination and fined 26,000 Euros. Porto player Pepe was suspended for a red card due to injuring Rocha in the game, with an additional suspension and a fine of 5,000 Euros. As for Quaresma's exotic ball-throwing incident, it was determined to be unintentional, and no penalty was required.

Both clubs announced they would not appeal and accepted the penalties. No one felt Rocha's punishment was too harsh; that was the rule. Ironically, Rocha had a serious ankle injury. According to Benfica, Rocha wouldn't return to the field for at least three months. Thus, the suspension was meaningless since Rocha wouldn't be fit to play immediately after his suspension.

Through this game, people gained a more direct and profound understanding of Quaresma. Quaresma is known for exacting revenge. Pepe is the type to react immediately and openly, making his actions predictable. Quaresma, however, always appears cheerful, but if provoked, his retaliation is unpredictable. No one could foresee Quaresma's creative revenge, like hitting someone in the face with a ball thrown from out-of-bounds. Clearly, everyone knew Quaresma's move was retaliation, but they couldn't prove it. Some things, as long as they aren't admitted, remain accidents.

It's best not to provoke Quaresma because you never know how he'll retaliate. Many believe that Rocha's worst injury wasn't Pepe's tackle but being hit by Quaresma's ball.

Why?

An ankle injury heals in a few months, allowing a return to the field. Being hit by Quaresma, however, is a blow to the soul! This incident will be immortalized in football history and included in countless funny football videos, making Rocha a figure of ridicule for life. He might as well be dead!

...

This matter temporarily concluded, but some aspects of the Portuguese Super Cup itself caught people's attention.

Although Porto won the game, they didn't display the dominance of a champion.

Benfica dominated most of the game. Without Quaresma's stunning performance, Porto likely would have lost.

Del Neri's Porto showed neither the offensive prowess he promised nor the defensive solidity that won the European Championship under Mourinho.

If Porto maintains this mediocre standard, they'll struggle in the Champions League and even in the Portuguese Super League. Can they expect Quaresma to perform superhumanly in every game?

As Porto's head coach, Del Neri faced numerous criticisms, unable to escape responsibility.

While Porto's performance was questioned, media opinion greatly praised Quaresma's performance.

One goal and one assist, all wonderful, perfectly dominating the game. Under extremely unfavorable team conditions, Quaresma helped his team win a championship, a performance only true stars achieve.

Many thought Quaresma would falter after being rejected by Barcelona, fading into obscurity. But now, Quaresma's top-notch performance made everyone realize Barcelona might regret their decision.

When Porto's overall performance faltered, Quaresma shone like a lighthouse in a vast sea, illuminating hope in darkness and confusion.

He was, indeed, the hope of Pokura!