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FC Porto defeated Vitória de Guimarães 2-1 in an 11th-round Liga Portugal fixture marked by two concussion protocol activations, A Bola reported.
The match at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques saw the rare use of the purple card twice, allowing both teams to make a total of seven substitutions.
The first activation of the concussion protocol occurred midway through the second half. FC Porto defender Jan Bednarek was struck in the face by a shot from Jakupovic. The player complained of vision issues in his left eye and received medical attention on the pitch.
Manager Francesco Farioli opted to replace Bednarek with Nehuén Pérez to avoid risks, triggering the protocol and the issuance of the first purple card, which granted each team an extra substitution.
The second intervention took place near the 90th minute following a clash of heads between Martim Fernandes and Borevkovic. Vitória de Guimarães activated the protocol to substitute the Croatian central defender. This second purple card raised the limit of authorized substitutions to seven for both sides. FC Porto utilized this regulatory margin in the closing stages by introducing Prpic during injury time.
The fixture, described as a high-intensity challenge, saw goals from Borja Sainz in the 38th minute and Martim Fernandes in the 86th minute, securing the victory for the visitors. According to Super Portistas, this event represents a very rare regulatory episode in the Liga Portugal.
The implementation of the protocol served to safeguard the health of the athletes without penalizing the teams involved. Following this result, FC Porto now prepares for a competitive break before hosting Paredes in the Taça de Portugal on November 20 at the Estádio do Dragão.
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