Rampaging Pepe sent off for record 16th time still counting
Pepe was sent off as Porto lost a crunch Primeira Liga clash with Sporting Lisbon on Monday night.
The 40-year-old known as one of football’s hot-headed figures was dismissed early in the second half after lashing out at Sporting wing-back Matheus Reis.
Reis crashed into the back of Pepe as he positioned the ball for a free-kick in his own half and the defender swung his arm out, catching his opponent in the face.
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Pepe looked furious as Reis collapsed to the floor holding his face and after a VAR check, the Porto centre-back was sent off.
After receiving his marching orders for the 16th time in his career, he sarcastically clapped the referee and laughed to himself.
While he might claim to have retaliated for Reis steaming in to the back of him, it is hard to justify swinging his arm into the Sporting man’s face.
Porto were already 1-0 down after Viktor Gyokeres’ first-half opener, but within 10 minutes of Pepe’s maverick moment, the deficit had doubled after Pedro Goncalves’ goal.
It was Pepe’s second sending-off of the season after his dismissal in Portugal’s version of the Community Shield – the Supertaca – against Benfica.
Porto sit third in the Portuguese top flight, three points behind Sporting and two behind Benfica after 14 games.
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Pepe is in his sixth season back at the Portuguese giants and is targeting a fifth title with them, having spent a stint at the club earlier in his career.
Last season they missed out on the Primeira Liga crown by two points as Benfica reclaimed it.
This year looks primed for another close tussle between the country’s big three, while Braga are not out of the mix as they are only two points behind Porto.