26 June 2006, by Tom Kundert

Belligerent Scolari emerges from Nuremburg battle with all guns blazing

“If anyone didn’t observe fair play it was the Dutch”

The morning after Portugal’s gripping triumph over Holland to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals, boss Luiz Felipe Scolari gave a typically feisty account and energetic defence of his team in the wake of the stormy encounter.

Scolari said Portugal would be appealing against Deco’s sending off, strongly rejected Van Basten’s claims of Portuguese play-acting, and suggested that Holland had deliberately set out to kick Ronaldo off the pitch.

“Regarding Deco’s first yellow card, as you all saw, the ball should have been passed back to us and the Dutch player, under instructions from his coach, decided to launch an attack. Deco reacted that way because of the gross lack of fair play.”

“We committed some mistakes in terms of discipline, but if FIFA asks all teams to respect fair play, it’s impossible for us to accept some situations. Deco was sent off because the Dutch player did not shoot the ball into touch, like he should have done.”

Scolari vehemently refuted claims from his opposite number that Portugal’s players had been play-acting. “Were we play-acting? Van Basten forgot that his goalkeeper came out of his box to provoke Simao and that after six minutes Cristiano Ronaldo had suffered two disgraceful fouls, and he had to leave the pitch injured. It seemed like it had been planned. If anyone didn’t observe fair play it was the Dutch.”

Good disciplinary record

The Brazilian coach was at pains to point out that since he took over as Portugal’s coach three years ago until last night’s match no player had been red-carded.

The World Cup winning coach also reacted to the clamour in the English press for Figo to be suspended for an alleged headbutt on Mark Van Bommel.

“Suspend Figo? No way. I don’t believe it. And what about Van der Sar, who stepped on Simao? I’m not interested in what the English say. The player who injured Cristiano and the goalkeeper are the ones who should be suspended.”

Scolari ended his brief but determined chat to the press in defiant style, saying “Nobody is going to manage to disrupt us,” before striding off to the training pitch.