Rafael Leão speaks out after red card against Chile
Portuguese star Rafael Leão has addressed his red card in a pre-World Cup friendly against Chile, explaining his actions during a physical altercation.
Portuguese forward Rafael Leão has spoken out following the incident in the friendly match between Portugal and Chile, which ended in a 2-1 victory for the European side. The player was sent off in the 44th minute after a physical altercation with Chilean defender Iván Román.
The conflict broke out after a foul on João Cancelo, sparking a scuffle between players from both teams. When Román shoved the Portuguese full-back, Leão reacted by striking the opponent, leading the referee to issue direct red cards to both players involved.
Regarding my expulsion, I simply wanted to protect my teammate, never with the intention of hurting the opponent. Rafael Leão
This friendly served as Portugal's final preparation match ahead of the upcoming World Cup. The team is drawn in Group K alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan, and the Congo.