"I want to make it very clear that Desportivo de Chaves fans were not violent or tried to attack Estoril Praia players. When they started attacking the fans, the players lost their reason. We're going to look at the reports, both from the League and the [Public Security] Police and try to defend our [fans]. We want justice to be done", assured Francisco José Carvalho, president of Desportivo de Chaves' SAD, in statements to the Lusa agency.

However, the official condemned the pitch invasion, which is why "an internal investigation" will be opened.

"We're going to check who the fans were that entered the pitch. If they are Desportivo de Chaves members, we will take measures because they cannot get away with this situation. There has to be a sanction for the people who invaded the pitch", added the official.

Francisco José Carvalho regretted the attitude of goalkeeper Marcelo Carné who, in his opinion, "as a professional" should not have resorted to violence after being the protagonist of "several incidents that ended up [giving rise] to what should not have happened", the pitch invasion.

"Those who started the violence were Estoril Praia players, not Desportivo de Chaves fans. What the fans did is not done, but there was also no violence, they simply went to ask the goalkeeper for explanations because, since the beginning of the second half, after scoring the [first] goal, he was always provoking the fans and insulting the ball boy", he stressed.

According to the manager, the intention of the fan who invaded the pitch was not to attack the Estoril goalkeeper.

"A Desportivo de Chaves fan invades the pitch and goes to the goalkeeper [Marcelo Carné], who was facing the other way, if he wanted to [attack him], he would have done it right away and he didn't, he simply went there to talk about what was happening", he reiterated.

Regarding the possible sanctions for the Flavienses structure, Francisco José Carvalho said that he expects "a very heavy fine and, perhaps, a game behind closed doors".

A pitch invasion during injury time of Sunday's game between Desportivo de Chaves and Estoril Praia, on matchday 30 of the I Liga, played in Chaves, resulted in scuffles and attacks between Flavienses fans and Estoril Praia players, with goalkeeper Marcelo Carné and Pedro Álvaro being shown a straight red card.

After a stoppage of around 20 minutes, the game resumed, with the home team reaching 2-2 with a goal in the 90+20 minute, by Morim, when Estoril Praia's goal was being defended by forward João Carlos.

The home team scored first, through João Correia, in the 32nd minute, but Estoril took the lead, with goals from Basso (58) and Fabrício (71), conceding the draw after the match resumed.

Read Also: Estoril confirms that it will contest the game against Desportivo de Chaves (Portuguese version)