1.25 The Rise and Fall of Bruno de Carvalho: The appendices

Additional Testimony 

Since our original posts with all the testimony provided to the courts I'm still finding further examples to add to an ever increasing appendices.

Carlos Mota

Testimony was heard from the nurse Carlos Mota, who was an employee of Sporting between the years of 2011 and 2018. It was Mota who sutured Bas Dost.

Mota said that: "in the days following the attack, Bas Dost was very angry with the situation, afraid that the aggressions could be repeated, he even had private security at the door, paid for by him.”

Outside the court Mota told reporters that he had spoken with de Carvalho, when he arrived at the academy, hours after the attack.

"He had a sad face, naturally, and I told him that it was a shame what had happened and he was very angry with me and said: 'Do you too, Mota, think I was the one who ordered this?' To which I replied: 'I don't think anything, I just think this is a shame for Sporting'".

Note - one it would be interesting to know who had already come up to him and planted that particular seed in his head prior to talking to Mota. Two, wouldn't it be nice of instead as club president if he'd gone around checking on staff welfare even if the players had no intention of speaking to him. 

Mota stated that he remembers the day of the attack with "great sadness" and explained why: "Because I have been a Sportinguista since I was born, my children and grandchildren are Sportinguistas, and it is very sad that someone has taken advantage, or takes advantage, of these situations to denigrate and continue to destroy Sporting.”

Costa ruled out the hypothesis that de Carvalho was behind the attacks: "No, Bruno de Carvalho had nothing to take advantage of, he was president at the time, for better or worse, he was the president.”

Note - I'm guessing Costa wasn't a fan of the man and presumably didn't vote for him in the elections previously. 

Vasco Fernandes, Technical Secretary

In his testimony Fernandes recalled how 20 to 30 of those present forced to the entrance door to the dressing room to gain access to the players. He was the one who tried to close the door to stop them but confirmed that the assistant coach Raul José shouted at him not to close the door because “there are men outside and they are going to kill him,” referring to the mister Jorge Jesus.

"They immediately started beating the players. They hadn’t come in to talk to anyone. Their behaviour was aggressive, from hitting, threatening and throwing objects. It all happened very quickly. I remember Montero who was slapped. I saw Acuña who was also being beaten. Further to the right side was Rui Patrício, William and Battaglia, who were also taking blows to their chests. I don't know if it was with an open hand." Fernandes confirmed it seemed like it went on for “an eternity” despite it only having in fact lasted for a few minutes. "They started beating, threatening and insulting. Saying that they would kill everyone. Anyone who dared to stand in front of them were told: 'get out of the way, or I'll kill you' and called names. There was a situation that is perfectly clear to me. Rafael Leão was at the entrance and no one hit him. I was even surprised, because they greeted him and said 'we will not harm you'."

Fernandes admits to his panic in the moment. "It's a moment of terror. I was completely petrified. The most violent moments were the ones experienced inside the dressing room. They had their heads covered. I had no idea if they were carrying weapons. I was fearful because I didn't know where it was going to stop.”

He states that eventually: "I heard one of them saying: 'it's time, let's go', and others repeating. As if they had that planned or some 'timing' to meet. And they started to leave. I left the building, went towards the road and came across Jorge Jesus with his hand full of blood and a bloody nose.”

He confirms that he saw Jesus in conversation with Fernando Mendes and Elton Camará who both were stood with their faces uncovered. "It seemed that Jorge Jesus was indignant and asking for answers.”

José Laranjeira

The former scout who previously employed by the club from 2013/14 onwards firstly under Leonardo Jardim and latterly under Jorge Jesus before moving on to Rio Ave. He was heard at the 13th session of the courts. He described how he was in the corridor of the professional wing at the time of the invasion but was not present in the dressing rooms. He confirmed “the only visible injury” was that sustained by Bas Dost who was still bleeding from his head and at that stage yet to be treated. He remembered seeing the “mister Jorge Jesus behind,” the invaders when they had decided to flee from the academy. He describes how Jorge Jesus had said ‘Grab this one! Grab that one!’ but confirmed he didn’t know who they were or whether they had been the one who attacked the coach.

He confirmed a few minutes later how he saw “three to four individuals,” in conversation with Jesus and William in a “peaceful,” conversation during which the pair were heard to be asking for “justifications and explanations,” from those also present in regards to what had just occurred. Laranjeira confirms that one of those men was Fernando Mendes though admits he wasn’t aware of who he was at the time. In that conversation he said they had told Jesus that “they were not expecting that, that they arrived later and that they had gone to the academy simply to talk to the squad.” Laranjeira confirmed that he himself had neither been threatened or assaulted.

Bruno Fernandes

The midfielder confirmed post invasion how he felt more nervous and anxious prior to playing since the attacks prior to kick off in addition to fearing similar attacks if the team "has a less positive result.” He admits to hiring personal security for the period after the attacks until going away with Portugal for the World Cup.

Fernandes confirmed that he was afraid of what might happen to his family and called his wife to tell her go to Porto with their daughter. He states that he saw between 20 and 25 people enter the dressing room. "The first two went straight to Rui Patrício and William Carvalho and then others went to Acuña and Bataglia. Ricardo Gonçalves tried to stop them, while they shouted the names of Rui Patrício, William Carvalho, Acuña and Bataglia"

He explains how his teammates were attacked with pushes, punches, slaps and attempted kicks. They also shouted phrases such as "'we're going to kill you, take off that shirt, you don't deserve that shirt'" along with other insults thrown at them.

He states how he and Coates tried to move them but were told: "'This is nothing to do with you, step aside'." "I had no reaction. The moment was too quick to react, or even think.”

"I was convinced that some of them stayed there at the door to prevent them from leaving. No one left, no one managed to leave. At the end, there was a shout from one of them saying: 'let's go, let's go' and they started to leave. At that moment they still said the phrase: 'if you don't win on Sunday you will see what happens to you, and they threw a flare."

André Pinto

Former defender Pinto told the court in the 18th session how some of those present had threatened the footballers with death if they didn't win the Taca de Portugal final.

"They said they would kill us if we didn't win the next game.”  The player who now plays for Al Fateh in Saudi Arabia confirmed he had been in the gym when he realised there was an invasion and had immediately left and headed for the dressing room where he stayed close to Misic. The Croatian was the only player he saw being attacked with a belt. "The only aggression I witnessed was to Misic on his face. He didn't speak, he didn't gesture or anything. It seems to me that there were players that were not the number one targets but who were attacked anyway.”

Pinto confirmed the meeting the day before the invasion with the squad Bruno de Carvalho, André Geraldes and other directors present. "The president spoke more to Acuña and Battaglia and said he had the claques calling to find out where their houses were." He added: "there was also some confrontation with Rui Patrício and William Carvalho.”